Proprietors say schools are low risk environment

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools has welcomed the September 22 resumption date announced by the Minister for Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent, the NAPPS Lagos State Chairman, Mr. Yomi Otubela, who said the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease had yet to be endemic, added that schools posed low risk environment for transmission of the disease.

He said, “The new date is welcomed. It still gives us room to continue our prevention plan started immediately the first case was reported. The future of our country depends on these pupils. We call on all stakeholders to assist in spreading the facts and not the fear.

“Schools are very low risk environment. It is an environment where children are under constant supervision and monitoring and with the right measures in place, schools will help educate the young people and their parents on appropriate measures for the prevention and management of the Ebola Virus Disease.”

He added that some of the measures adopted by more than 2,000 private schools in Lagos included daily screening of pupils and prompt isolation if there was detection of high fever.

According to him, visitors to the schools and boarding houses will also be screened from the gate.

He added, “At the point of entry, all visitors to our schools and boarding facilities will have their body temperature checked and be required to apply sanitisers to their hands before conducting any business. Refusal to comply or raised body temperature means the individual or group will be turned away and not granted entry.”