Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has directed that secondary schools in the state should resume academic sessions on Oct. 11, 2020.
The directive was contained in a statement, issued by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Malam Muhammad Bello, which was made available to newsmen on Monday in Sokoto.
According to the statement, the governor directed the resumption to be in phases, beginning from Oct. 11.
He said the decision followed a meeting with relevant stakeholders in Sokoto state.
The statement read in part: “Tambuwal directed that the 2020/2021 academic session for Basic and Secondary Schools should begin on Oct. 11.
“This will be followed by the resumption of Primary 6 pupils and students on the last lap of Junior Secondary School (JSS III) two weeks later.
“Higher education students in final year, those returning and new students are to resume as proposed by the Commissioner for Higher Education and approved by the Governor on Oct. 12th, 19th and 26th respectively.”
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Quoting a document from the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Bello Abubakar-Guiwa, the statement noted that the state government took cognizance of the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines as well as the best option to be adopted by the state regarding schools reopening.
The governor’s Special Adviser explained that the document stated that first and second term continuous assessment are to be used in promoting students to the next class for the 2019/2020 session, adding “Just as the BECE should be conducted for the returning JSS III students as a precondition for their transition to Senior Secondary (SS I).
“Equally, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) will conduct placement exercise into Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) I and Primary 1.”
The commissioner cautioned all schools in the state to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 guidelines and protocols which include provision of sanitizers, hand washing facilities, thermometers and isolation rooms among others.
He also explained that Gov. Tambuwal directed that schools with a large population of students should adopt the shift system with a view to minimizing physical contact.
