Ekiti sets up task force to enforce covid-19 regulations in schools

Ekiti State Government has set up a task force that would enforce the Covid-19 prevention regulations in schools across the state to ensure the safety of pupils as schools in the State resume next Monday.

The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Adebimpe Aderiye disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti at a 2-day training programme organised for over 2000 Head Teachers and Assistant Head Teachers of public primary schools as well as some teachers from the Junior Secondary Schools in the state.

Aderiye, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. James Owolabi said severe sanctions await any Head Teacher whose school is found to be violating the Covid-19 prevention regulations when schools resume across the state.

While stressing that the administration of Kayode Fayemi has continued to take proactive steps to curtail the spread of the deadly virus in the state, the Commissioner urged the Head Teachers and other participants at the training workshops holding simultaneously in three different venues in the state capital to pay rapt attention to resource persons expected to take them through precautionary measures specifically designed to curb the spread of Corona Virus in schools.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Femi Akinwumi,a Professor explained that SUBEB in conjunction with the State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology organized the 2-Day workshop as part of proactive steps to creating and maintaining a safe environment without compromising the well-being of pupils, teachers and parents after the lockdown.

He commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for ensuring the fumigation of all public schools and providing infrared thermometers, Veronica buckets, disinfectants, hand washing soaps and alcohol based sanitizers, spraying pumps and herbicides for all public schools in preparation for schools resumption in the state. Akinwumi said that apart from listening attentively to the resource persons at the workshop, the Head Teachers and the other school administrators at the forum were expected to strictly enforce the regulations and ensure that all the COVID-19 materials to be distributed to them are put to optimal use in various schools upon resumption.

In their goodwill messages, the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Oyebanji Filani,a medical doctor who spoke through the Director of Nursing Services, Hospitals Management Board, Foluke Olaiya and the State UBEC Coordinator, Joshua Arema said the workshop which was designed to expose school managers to precautionary measures against the COVID-19 pandemic was timely in order to prevent a spike in the state COVID-19 figures after school resumption.