Kwara: Private Teachers, Parents Protest Non Reopening Of Schools

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

Teachers and parents of private schools in Kwara state have staged a peaceful protest to press home their demand for reopening of their schools across the state.

They were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions asking the state government to come to their aid and save them from hunger.

Addressing Journalists during the protest in Ilorin, the Kwara state Chairman of the National Association of Proprietors of private Schools, Dr Rahaman Adetunji, said the teachers and students are tired of staying at home doing nothing.

He explained that going by the partial reopening of schools for West African school certificate examinations, it was discovered that the schools are now safe and free of COVID-19 pandemic, noting that while the examinations lasted no students contracted the deadly virus on their schools.

He said: “Places of worship, markets and other public places that have been reopened have more risk of spreading COVID-19 than schools.”

Dr Adetunji said about 95 percent of private schools in the state have already made provisions to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols when they reopen.

He appeal to the state government to respect federal government’s and NCDC’s directives and make pronouncement on the reopening of schools across the state

Dr Adetunji, however, urged the protesting teachers and parents to remain calm and law abiding, while assuring them that government would do the needful very soon.