Education
THE Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has commended the Federal government’s decision to further delay the resumption of schools due to rampaging COVID-19 disease in the country.
The forum in a statement issued by its President, Mr. Akin Malaolu, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the continued closure of schools in spite of the pressure to resume for West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), organized by WAEC was highly commendable.
Malaolu said the decision shows that the federal government prioritised humanity above education, saying the Federal Government, through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had shown sensitivity to public opinion.
“The PTF should be commended for listening to the contrary opinion on issues that bother on the management of the pandemic, easing of lockdown, testing measures, etc.
“They have made an impact on managing COVID-19 to the satisfaction of our Forum.
“We thank the federal government for taking that landmark decision because adequate teaching had not been attained.
“There is no way anyone could have completed syllabuses earmarked for the coming examinations.
“Most Students in Senior Secondary School (SS3) and Junior Secondary School (JSS3) will record mass failure if the country goes ahead with the examination without completing the syllabuses appropriately,” Malaolu said.
He also urged the government to consider an interest-free loan to private school administrators and teachers to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on their daily lives.
“Mr. President should do a little by a way of giving a little succour to schools, especially private schools who are in dire straits in paying salary.
“They cannot borrow because nobody will lend them. We cannot continue to keep our teachers going about with unpaid salaries,” he said
The forum president, who commended WAEC for conducting examinations for six decades, urged the examination body to look beyond education and consider humanity in this period of the pandemic.
“Humanity is bigger than education because death is so near to everyone today. WAEC needs to prove that it has rudiments of administration to manage examinations which they have been doing over the decades,” he said.
Malaolu tasked groups and individuals to always put humanity above other interests. (NAN)
– Jul. 14, 2020 @ 18:15 GMT |
Tags: Forum hails FG’s decision on school resumption
