*The National Association of Nigerian Students says giving COVID-19 funds will help the schools, especially the tertiary institutions in the country to procure precautionary facilities to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In regard to the Federal Government’s directive that all schools in Nigeria should resume Monday, January 18, 2021, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the authorities approve COVID-19 support funds for universities and polytechnics to curb the raging virus in the country.

Comrade Sunday Asefon, National President of NANS, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, Friday, January 15 said such funds would help the schools, especially the tertiary institutions to procure precautionary facilities to control the tide of COVID-19.

The NANS President also satisfaction with the compromise recently reached by the Federal Government and stakeholders that public and private schools should resume academic activities.

The statement said: “Now that the Federal Government had reached a compromise that the schools should reopen, the second phase should be how to help the schools to get the requisite precautionary facilities to tame the spread of COVID-19 disease.

“As much as it has become expedient for schools to reopen, it would also be foolhardy to take the issue of safety with levity, because such could also create crisis in the system in future.

Describing the development as a long-awaited respite for students, Asefon stated that this landmark decision would help in relieving the students, who had been home for over nine months of the burden of being put in abeyance for long.

“Under this confounding situation, the federal government should as a matter of urgency give COVID 19 support fund to all tertiary institutions to purchase facilities that can guarantee safety of students and lecturers.

“NANS, as an umbrella body for all students won’t tolerate carnage on campuses on account of COVID 19 infection,” said the NANS Chief.

According to him, “taking cognisance of the veracious information at our disposal; only the private universities and polytechnics have prepared solidly to receive students in strict compliance with COVID-19 safety measures.

“Such is still lacking in our public schools. That is where the federal government should intervene to ensure smooth take off of academic activities after a long-drawn battle with COVID-19.”

He, however, warned the school managements against opportunistic actions by resorting to imposition of arbitrary charges under the guise of COVID-19.

Procurement of facilities should be the responsibility of the Federal Government, Asefon stated.