By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration ,FCTA, has reminded proprietors of private schools and the public that the Federal Government directive closing all schools at the outset of coronavirus pandemic still remain in the nation’s capital.
FCT Acting Secretary for education, Umaru Marafa on Tuesday, said there are reports that private schools were disseminating information to parents and students indicating the resumption of 2019/2020 3rd term calendar online and parents were expected to pay school fees for this term prior to the purported resumption.
Though non of the reports was made available to journalists, but he described the purported circular as worrisome, and called on parents in the Federal Capital Territory to discard any information on school resumption that is not officially from the education secretariat.
Marafa said: “when the Schools will be reopened, adequate notice of the fact that 2nd term was inconclusive will be factored into the academic calendar which will dovetail into the 3rd term accordingly. Any action taken otherwise is likely to negatively distort the academic calendar of the schools involved.
“It has come to the notice of the FCTA Education Secretariat that some private Schools in the FCT are disseminating information to parents and students indicating the resumption the 2019/2020 3rd term calendar online and parents were therefore expected to pay schools fees for this term prior to the purported resumption.
“The Education Secretariat wishes to remind School proprietors, parents and the general public that the directive closing all schools at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic explicitly stated that this directive was in effect until further notice which implies that no academic activities in all Schools in any form shall commence until a notice to reopen is approved and conveyed by the Secretariat” he said.
The Secretary disclosed that School purporting to reopen for 3rd term before the approved calendar for opening of School post Covid-19 is doing so against the provisions of the extant guidelines on the establishment and operation of Schools in the FCT.
He advised the School proprietors to maintain the status quo and keep their schools closed and not re-open in any form while they await further directives from the FCTA, explaining that violators of the directive will face the full wrath of the law.
According to him, the FCTA Education Secretariat has however concluded plans to introduce e-learning platforms to include lessons on radio and television channels to keep the students constructively engaged while the lockdown lasts.
