COVID-19 Lockdown: FCTA Warns School Proprietors Against Resumption Of Academic Activities

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Education Secretariat has warned school proprietors against taking laws into their hands with resumption of schools academic activities without the directive from the FCTA.

The warning is against the backdrop of information that some private Schools in the FCT are disseminating information to parents and students indicating the resumption of the 2019/2020  3rd term calendar online  and demanding from parents to pay schools fees for this term prior to the purported resumption.

It stressed that violators of the extant guidelines would face the wrath of law.

The Education Secretariat in a statement by the FCTA Acting Secretary for education, Umaru Marafa, remind School proprietors, parents and the general public that the directive closing all schools at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic still remain in force till further notice.

He explained that this implied that “no academic activities in all Schools in any form shall commence until a notice to reopen is approved and conveyed by the Secretariat.”

According to the statement, “The implication of this is that when the Schools will be reopened, adequate notice of the fact that 2nd term was inconclusive will be factored into the academic calendar which will dovetail into the 3rd term accordingly. Any action taken otherwise is likely to negatively distort the academic calendar of the schools involved.

“In light of the above, any School purporting to reopen for 3rd term before the approved calendar for opening of School post Covid-19 is doing so against the provisions of the extant guidelines on the establishment and operation of Schools in the FCT.

“School proprietors  are therefore, advised to maintain the status quo and keep their schools closed and not re-open in any form while they await  further directives from the FCTA.  Violators of this directive will face the full wrath of the law.

“The FCTA Education Secretariat has however concluded plans to introduce e-learning platforms to include lessons on radio and television channels to keep the students constructively engaged while the lockdown lasts.”