Nigerian govt directs schools to remain in session during elections

 

The Minster of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, has directed all public and private schools to remain in section during the elections.
The minster gave these directives during a meeting with the Commissioners of Education from the 36 states in Nigeria.
Mr. Shekarau noted that a lot of time had already been wasted by many schools as a result of the Ebola crisis in 2014.
He said the elections were not enough reason for the government to close down schools and urged parents to disregard any rumour or unfounded statement that could make them insist that the schools be closed and their children released to them.
He also directed all schools on mid-term break to suspend such and resume immediately and also ordered those planning to go on mid-term break to put it on hold.
“It is our belief that we have had elections in the past and schools were in session and in view of the fact that this is just happening almost second term and we have suffered a lot of loss of time during the last Ebola crisis and many schools are battling to catch up the lost period,” he said
He called on the state governments to ensure the provision of adequate security to ensure the security of the students whose schools were near polling stations especially the boarding schools whose premises are being used as polling stations
He directed all the state commissioners of education to ensure strict compliance with the directive warning that the federal government would mete out appropriate sanctions to any erring school.