• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

LASG threatens to sanction schools defying closure directive

Schools

The Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance has threatened to sanction any school caught flouting the directive of the Federal and the Lagos State Governments on school closure, under whatever reason.

It frowns at the act of inviting students to come to school by owners of private primary and secondary schools despite the directive to the contrary by the Lagos State Government.

The government warned all Private Primary and Secondary Schools in the state to desist from the act of reopening schools under whatever guise thereby exposing pupils to infections and dangers of Covid-19.

Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, director general, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State says central to the monitoring exercise is the safety of all children, teachers and the general public.

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In statement made available to BusinessDay, Seriki-Ayeni stated that the state had witnessed total compliance rate except for some few schools who are doing all they could to beat government scrutiny without an iota of concern for the health and safety of their pupils.

“To ensure compliance, the Office of Education Quality Assurance Monitoring and Investigation team is embarking on compliance monitoring exercise across the state simultaneously to ensure schools adhere strictly to the directive of the Governor of Lagos State Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu,” she said.

She advised such schools to stop forcing students/pupils to school, an act that could jeopardize the future of these innocent children. She warned that any school caught will face the wrath of the law.

The director general assured of government continued sensitization of the general public through radio jingles, public announcements and the social media on how to maintain proper hygiene, like washing of hands with soap and water, use of face mask and the use of hand sanitizer.

Seriki-Ayeni further noted that the general public would be notified when it is right and safe for students to return to school.

The Federal Government ordered the closure of schools across the country to curtail exposure to and the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19) among students because of their vulnerability and inability to observe social distancing.