The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) suggested that school resumption could be used to curb the spread of COVID-19.
President of the association, Comrade Sunday Asefon said
this as he warned the Federal Government against postponing schools resumption
nationwide.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the NANS leader urged
the Federal Government not to further aggravate issues by keeping Nigerian
students at home aimlessly.
Asefon, however, commended the effort of the government in
its effort to keep the COVID-19 virus at bay and ensure vaccines are available
for Nigeria.
The association leader recommended that rather than
postponing school resumption, schools could be used as a means of reducing the
spread of the deadly virus.
He said the rise in the virus spread can be curbed from a
position of environmental strategy and human coordination since the lockdown
mechanism could no longer be effective.
Comrade Asefon said the Federal Government has to understand
that majority of Nigerians are living in unorganized environments and
structures that are not helping to curb the spread of the virus.
He then urged that the government rejig its approach and
take only actions that could get more Nigerians into coordinated and regulated
systems, like schools and offices.
With this, he said that hours of wearing face masks and complying
with COVID safety protocols could be guaranteed to curb the spread.
“As students representatives and stakeholders, we make bold
to state that having students and lecturers on campuses and in schools that are
regimented and regulated, will help to raise consciousness and the bar of
compliance with COVID rules, the statement read.
“Consequently, the National Association of Nigerian Students
(NANS) is undertaking to prevail on students union bodies to set up Students
Task Force Against COVID-19 in every school, while asking the Federal
Government to rejig its basic COVID guide for school resumptions.
“School resumption will also help the students, teachers,
and lecturers to avoid social gatherings, regular travels while concentrating
on the task of teaching and researching, which can also help to trigger the
need to have a new alternative and approach to fighting the pandemic.
He concluded saying the union is open to dialogue with the
federal government towards perfecting the union’s plan.
Government has stuck to plans to reopen schools on 18
January.