COVID-19: Citizens laud Obiano for shifting schools’ resumption date

… Say he’s safety conscious

THE shift in resumption date of schools in Anambra State due to the spike in second wave of COVID-19 has generated reactions in cities across the state.

  Although the Federal Ministry of Education asked schools to re-open nationwide on Jan. 18,  Anambra State Government, Tuesday, announced a shift to Feb. 1, two weeks after the January 18 resumption date.

   In an interview with principal of Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS), Onitsha, Chidozie Anieto, he said that nobody was happy with a resurgence of the pandemic.

  “This is because it has a negative impact on the economy of the nation; a shift in the resumption date from Jan. 18 to Feb. 1, has been geared toward ensuring safety.

  “Gov. Obiano is considering the safety of Ndi Anambra and that is perhaps why he wants all Anambra people and the school managements to get well prepared for the second wave of these pandemics before receiving the students back to their schools.”

  Rev. Canon Anieto urged all to protect themselves first as it is those that are alive that will acquire education.

  “The shift will help schools to prepare well to take into consideration all the safety measures as stipulated by the World Health Organisation before students will come back to schools, because the pandemic is a serious disease that kills people with ease.”

  A school teacher, Mrs Nkiru Ilonze, said that she was not happy with the way the pandemic had been spreading and that  the shift is dragging educational activities backwards, which is not healthy for students .

  “The time wasted can never be recovered,” she stressed.

  Mrs Anuli Ekeokwu, a parent, said that she could appreciate the concerns of the governor, as COVID-19 was real.

  She said that the two weeks added was not too much but that it would help the government to take some necessary precautions.

  A Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 student, Master Obinna Lawrence, said it was praiseworthy that Gov. Obiano had their safety interest at heart.

  “I plead that there should not be any further shift in resumption date so as not to adversely affect the Junior West African School’s Certificate Examination.