Stakeholders in the education sector have suggested measures to ensure a safe learning environment when schools reopen amid the COVD 19 pandemic in the South East Geo-political Zone.
They made the suggestion during a Zonal Stakeholders Dialogue organized by Federal Ministry of Education in partnership with UNICEF on School Reopening Readiness in the South East .
The workshop, which was attended by stakeholders in the education sector from the varrious states in the zone, was organized to ensure a safe school environment for students and teachers amid the deadly COVID 19 pandemic when schools reopen.
In an address, the Education Specialist of UNICEF, Agatha Nzeribe, said there are moves across the nation to reopen schools hence the need to take proactive measures to provide a safe environment.
According to her, UNICEF was partnering with states in the South East Region to look at critical issues in preparing the children to go back to a safe learning environment.
She explained that after the dialogue with the critical stakeholders, ” the plan is that when they get back, they will involve others stake holders at home’.
She stressed that their purpose was to make sure that no child will be left behind whether boy or girl, noting that as a result of the shutdown, many children might not come back if proactive action was not taking.
” UNICEF is partnering with states the South East Zone to hold a dialogue and look at critical issues in preparing for the children to go back to a safe learning environment.
” In the meeting, we hope to have the imputs of the critical stakeholders on those documents. The plan is that when they get back, they will involve the other stakeholders at home. our purpose is to make sure that no child is left. With the shutdown, many children may not come back if we don’t take proactive action.
” We know that so much has happened on account of the pandemic, schools have been closed down since February March and across the nation there are moves to reopen some schools. So what we are doing is to make sure that they get back to school but on getting back to school, we are taking proactive measures to ensure that not when they get back to school, a child gets ill because of environment” she stated.
Also speaking, the Director of Library Services, Bernabas Ewunandu, who represented the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, said they wanted to get imput from the stakeholders of education and other stakeholders to ensure that when schools reopen, both the students and teachers will be in safe environment.
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