School children in exit classes in Imo State reported to their schools on Tuesday in anticipation of joining their colleagues elsewhere in the country to prepare for their examinations but found that their teachers were not ready for them.
A HumAngle correspondent who went round some schools in Owerri, the state capital, found that so many children, especially in SS3 and JSS3 classes as well as primary six pupils came to school early but did not see their teachers.
Many of students, especially in Akwakuma Girls’ Secondary School, Owerri, Amakohia Primary School, Owerri, and Federal Government Girls’ College, Owerri said they came in line with information on several media platforms.
Some teachers and the principal of Federal Government Girls’ College, Owerri, who were around, declined making comments on the school resumption.
However, some health officials were sighted close to the school gate with infrared thermometer, testing visitors as well as students, who entered the premises.
But the situation was different in state schools where teachers were hardly seen within the schools by 10:00a.m.
However, some teachers who later came around but pleaded anonymity, said that they had yet to get directives from the state Ministry of Education on school resumption.
HumAngle learnt that so many schools within the state capital are far from being ready for resumption as none had been fumigated in line with the guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for school resumption.
Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner for Education, Prof. B.T.O. Ikegwuoha, said the Imo State Governor, Mr Hope Uzodinma, had not given directives on school resumption.
In a statement issued on his social media handle, the commissioner cited the Federal Government as saying that state governors reserved the right to decide when their respective states would reopen schools.
He, however, said that the governor would soon issue directives on the reopening of schools once he was satisfied the conditions to reopen them were fulfilled.
But the commissioner gave an assurance that students in the state would participate in the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination starting on August 17.
He advised schools in the state to wait for the governor’s directives before resuming in their own best interest.
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