By Martin Odiete, Abuja

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS has charged the Government to reconsider its stand on the recent announcement suspending the reopening of schools saying that the stand is very inimical to the Nation educational system.

Addressing journalist on the development on Monday, the National President of the Association, Yomi Otubela outlined the effect of the continuous closure of schools both on the Nation, the student and even themselves. He argued that the schools are fully ready and equipped to adhere with all the safety measures outlined for them by the NCDC  

He noted that the Board of Trustees and National Executive Council of NAPPS met online on Friday, 10th July 2020 and came up with the following positions:

“1. Private Schools are ready for reopening of schools with standard safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of Coronavirus within the school premises.

ii. We also agreed with stakeholders for the phased reopening of schools for JSS3 and SSS3 students only with strict observance of the safety protocols within the school environment.

iii.  Private Schools under NAPPS are ready to resume with strict adherence to the safety protocols advised by the NCDC.

iv. Based on our readiness to safely reopen schools in phases starting with JSS3 and more importantly SSS3 students who will be sitting for their SSSCE conducted by WAEC, NECO, etc, we are using this medium to call on the Federal Ministry of Education to revisit its reversal on resumption and suspension of 2020 public examinations (WAEC, NECO, etc) for the following reasons:

a. To avoid emotional trauma that SSS3 students will be subjected to as a result of the cancellation of 2020 SSSCE. For this reason, we will advise the government to deploy the services of Clinical Psychologists to evaluate the state of minds of these students whenever they are ready to sit for these examinations due to mental truma that will arise as a result of the suspension of these examinations after rigorous preparations by students and knowing full well that their counterparts in other countries will be taking the examination.

b.  To avoid a situation where Nigerian students will be forced to seek an alternative way of writing these examinations by approaching neighbouring countries such as Ghana among others which will not be good for the image of the country.

c.  As a result of a prolonged closure, the majority of students may likely lose interest in education and embrace social vices inimical to their wellbeing and  public safety as well.

d.  Consequent upon the announcement of the suspension of the 2020 WAEC examinations for SSS3 students, parents of students in private schools have started to approach the management of private schools demanding the refund of the money paid on behalf of their children to partake in 2020 WAEC examinations which private schools had already remitted to the examination bodies. Their reasons are premised on the decision to utilise the refunds to approach other neighbouring countries so that their children can sit for 2020 WAEC examinations outside the country.

e. Moreover, phased reopening of schools for SSS3 and JSS3 will ensure there will be fewer students in schools than usual which makes physical distancing easier to enforce.

e.  Task Force can be instituted by Federal and state governments to monitor and ensure strict compliance during the conduct of the examinations.

f.  Considering the level of success achieved so far with the reopening of airports for domestic flights through strict adherence to safety protocols for passengers, we are sure that the same level of success will be recorded when schools are reopened.

g.   It should be noted that immediately after the announcement of the suspension of 2020 WAEC examinations for SSS3 students by the Federal Government, NAPPS contacted WAEC Head of National Office who confirmed the position of the Federal Minister of Education and said WAEC would have to wait for further instructions and as such, the position of the  Federal Ministry of Education concerning the suspension would stand in Nigeria.

 h. Even though we appreciate the safety concerns of the Federal Government,  private schools are fully prepared for safe reopening of schools with investment already made to procure  safety equipment as advised by Nigeria Council for Disease Control (NCDC) to ensure the safe reopening of schools nationwide.

To this end,  NAPPS is appealing to the  Federal Government to review its stand on suspension of 2020 public examinations (WAEC, NECO etc),” he said.