The National Universities Commission, NUC, has ordered Universities to reopen for academic activities on January 18, 2021.
The NUC in a statement by its Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration), Chris Maiyaki, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said officers on Grade Level 12 and below to remain at home for a period of five weeks as earlier directed by the Federal Government.
The commission said the order was in compliance with the directive of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
According to the NUC, the new directive became a necessary sequel to several enquires on the full import of the commission’s previous letter with Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol.63/151 and dated December 23, 2020, on the issue.
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Maiyaki told universities to safeguard lives by strictly adhering to the extant safety protocols and guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, which have been communicated severally to them through NUC circulars.
He said, “I am to add that universities on the resumption of academic activities, must under no circumstance violate the full cycle of the semester system, consistent with the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards approved by the NUC, as well as other extant quality assurance standards and guidelines.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had been on strike for about 10 months and was suspended on December 23, 2020
The Will