Undoubtedly, at the outset of covid-19 outbreak, at March ending, the federal government had earlier declared the closure of educational institutions as a preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, the graduating classes (Primary 6, JSS3 and SSS3) were about to write their external exams then, before the federal government ordered the closure of schools, which led to the postponment of their exams.
However, after a long wait of more than three months now that graduating students have been waiting for the federal government to approve the reopening of school for them to take their exams, it feels good to hear that, President Buhari had recently approved the reopening of school for students in primary 6, JSS3 and SSS3 classes, as this was revealed by the special Assistant to President Buhari on Media in his Tweeter Page, disclosing that President Buhari has approved the reopening of school for only graduating classes (SSS3, JSS3 and Primary 6).
Not only from Ahmad that the information came from, but the chairman of the presidential task force on covid-19, Boss Mustapha has also disclosed on Monday that president Buhari has approved the reopening of school for graduating classes (Primary 6, JSS3 and SSS3).
Inasmuch as President Buhari had approved the reopening of school for graduating classes, I am of the view that when school commence, learning period should be from 7:30am – 12:00pm. Following the persistent increase in covid-19 cases, this strategy of spending only four and a half hours in school will go a long way to help in curbing the spread of covid-19 disease when lesson commence, as students will have to come to school and go back home quickly, so that there will be no opportunity or free time for students to gather up or be perambulating round the school in groups.
Suggestively, with this little period of time, it will be easy for teachers to control the students to make sure that they keep all the guidelines provided by the federal government, but if otherwise, it might reach to a point that teachers will be tired of controlling the students and at last may feel reluctant to do their jobs, which will be causing the students to be vulnerable to the chances of being infected with the virus.
Also, I think that if this school period is adopted, graduating students will have more time to read what the teachers have taught them within the short learning period of between 7:30am – 12:00pm and at the same time, help in reducing the chances of students contacting the virus.