Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has advised Federal and State governments not to be in a hurry to reopen schools until adequate measures have been put in place to curtail the spread of coronavirus in schools.
The President of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi in an interview with newsmen, said not reopening school now is the only way Nigeria and its people will not regret.
He stated that most government schools have crowded classrooms, poor sanitary systems and no running water, poor personal hygiene for both students and teachers and other challenges that would escalate the spread of the virus
The ASUU leader, who is a lecturer at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, heap the blame on the political class for what he described as the awkward structure of the country’s economy, saying the structure is built in a way that gives room for the rich to be richer and the poor, poorer.
“And that is why there is nothing on the ground for government to fall back on whenever there is an emergency, except to go back to the private sector or to individuals who have benefited so much from the system, and who at that point only give a token from the so much they have taken from the system.
“So, the government would need to take it softly in reopening schools as we cannot afford to face a worse scenario of COVID-19,” He stressed.
The Presidential Tax Force on COVID-19 had equally affirmed that it was not safe to reopen school, while urging schools to put up safety measures to curtail the virus when the government finally gives the go ahead for schools to resume.
It would be recalled that ASUU and the Federal Government are at loggerheads over alleged failure of government to meet the terms of earlier agreement and the lingering matter on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.
