Nigeria may shut schools again amid rising Coronavirus cases

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

As the authorities continue to monitor very closely how, institutions of learning are instituting measures and ensuring adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, the Federal Government says it may be forced to shut down schools again, as COVID-19 cases continue to spike in the country.

Mukhtar Muhammed, National Incident Manager of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 stated this in a video posted on Twitter Monday, February 1.

The PTF National Incident Manager said: “The issue of school reopening is something that the PTF has discussed very extensively. The ministry of education decided to open the schools.

“Based on our own understanding, it was the states that actually wanted to have the schools reopened.

“Now, the PTF is watching this very closely, we are monitoring what is going on and if we find out that cases continue to rise in the country and we start to have incidences in schools, certainly, we will have the schools closed.”

Muhammed stated: “In the first instance, we should have delayed opening of the schools but now that the schools are opened, the PTF will continue to monitor very closely with all the schools to ensure that they institute measures and ensure that people follow as much as possible.”

Recall schools across Nigeria were shut down in December 2020 and reopened January 18.