Lagos orders closure of public, private schools by Friday

Ebun Francis| The Lagos State Government on Thursday ordered the closure of public and private schools in the state.

According to a statement by the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, the schools were directed to vacate on Friday, December 18, 2020’.

The statement read, ”The Lagos States Government has directed public and private schools in the state to vacate on Friday 18th December, 2020”.

“Therefore, all public and private schools below tertiary level in the state are to close for the Christmas and New Year holiday on that day. Schools are to resume back on Monday 4th January, 2021 in compliance with the Lagos State harmonized academic calendar.

“It is important to note that boarders are to resume on Sunday 3rd January, 2021 while academic activities commences immediately,” the statement read in part.

The government advised parents to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols at home while all school proprietors and school administrators were enjoined to also ensure compliance to COVID-19 safety protocols when schools resume for 2nd term.

Even though, the reasons for the sudden closure of the schools were not stated in the statement, it may, however, not be unconnected with the rising number of new coronavirus cases in the country as Lagos remains the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria.