Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle of Zamfara has approved the re-opening of secondary schools by Monday the 10th of August, 2020 in order to allow for SS 3 students to commence their West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) scheduled for 17th August 2020.
In a statement signed by the State Commissioner of Education Education Ibrahim Abdullahi Spirow said all Principals have been directed to make arrangements for receiving boarding students on the 9th day students on the 10th August 2020.
The statement further directed that, all proprietors of private schools have been directed to use the one week period in order to out in place all the necessary Covid-19 guidelines in place ahead of re-opening of their schools.
The Commissioner further directed that, all Principals are also to ensure strict compliance with the NCDC guidelines which include wearing of face masks, use of hand sanitizer and social distancing both classes, laboratories, libraries and hostels.
The Commissioner also intimated the Principals to ensure frequent use of temperature monitoring facilities and report any suspicious Covid-19 suspects to the designated health facilities.
All private schools are expected to sent their report of preparedness to the Private Schools unit of Zamfara State Ministry of Education using an appropriate checklist and obtain a written “No objection to Open School” on clean bill of health.
The Commissioner also said parents are to ensure proper arrangements for safer transportation of their wards from home to schools.
The Commissioner noted further that, the state Ministry of education in collaboration with the State Ministry for Environment has perfected arrangement to ensure that all public and private schools have been fumigated in order to ensure the safety of the students.
Appropriate resumption dates for other examinations(NECO, NABTEB, NBIAS, BECE) and for the rest of other classes, including the SS1, SS2 and JSS 1-3, as well as primary schools will be announced in due course.
The Commissioner therefore used the opportunity to encourage schools to continue with their e-learning programmes till when normalcy is restored.