By Seun Aderounmu
Following the statement credited to the Academic Staff Union of Universities that Universities were not ready for reopening, Vice-Chancellors of some federal and state universities in Nigeria have expressed readiness to reopen schools as directed by the Federal Government.
Sparklight News who monitored a radio programme called platform on Fresh FM Abeokuta had a lecturer,Tosin Adesile said it would be wrong for ASUU to speak on behalf of Universities Managements saying Nigerians should learn to live with the virus and adhere strictly to protocols.
He mentioned that National Youth Service Corp,(NYSC) had two batches of training for corps members across Nigeria and it went well adding that the only thing government needs to do is to ensure that they have emergencies on ground to cope with the situation.
Also speaking,one of the VC’s of a federal university in the South-West who preferred anonymity said that it was wrong for ASUU to claim that there were no guidelines for reopening varsities.
Another report circulating online also quoted another Vice Chancellor that aside from the scare arising from the second wave of COVID-19, some of the Vice Chancellors had planned to stagger resumption.
“I think ASUU should begin to speak to facts. In as much as we do not want the COVID-19 outbreak on our campuses, we had our plans. Some academic activities can resume for classes with a few populations,” as said by one of the VCs.
In compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, Lagos state university recently held examination for students and it went well. What do ASUU mean by saying there is no guideline for reopening? Another VC queried.
Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Felix Salako, said the varsity would resume academic activities on January 18, in compliance with the directives of the Federal Government.
Salako maintained that the university was ready to resume academic activities, saying that measures had been put in place, including COVID-19 protocols as stipulated by the Federal Government.
He said it was mischievous and political for any lecturer to go to the media to say that the university was not ready for academic activities.
Salako noted that the school had undergone fumigation more than 10 times since March 2020, just as there had been massive infrastructural rehabilitation.
He added that the management had been producing its own hand sanitisers, as well as procuring hand-washing basins and soaps needed to keep the students and members of staff safe from contracting the virus.
The vice-chancellor also said the university would be running what he described as “hybrid” teaching, a mix of physical and virtual learning, while no fewer than 150 solar panels had been installed in some of the buildings, to provide alternative sources of electricity and facilitate the planned hybrid system of learning delivery.
“The virtual learning will take care of large classes, like the part one students, but for fewer classes, we have large halls to accommodate the students”, NAN quoted Salako as saying.
In a related development, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said on Monday that FG would review the January 18 earlier date fixed for resumption of schools across Nigeria.
It attributed the decision to the second wave of COVID-19 currently ravaging the country.
Adamu said, “It (January 18 date of school reopening) is not sacrosanct. When we decided on that date it was just a target towards what we were working on. Of course, we are keeping it in view and looking at what is happening in society and then it is supposed to be subject to constant review.”
This had led to a lot of reactions from Stakeholders and Students when Sparklight News monitored social media posts which some students claimed they might occupy the street as they are tired of staying at home for close to a year.
According to the Registrar of the University of Lagos,Azeez Oladejo said that University of Lagos will be having an academic meeting on Wednesday,13th January,2020 to decide the date of resumption.
Also,the Federal University of Agriculture,Akure released a statement that School will resume on the 18th,January,2020 urging students and staff to adhere strictly to safety measures.
Also,a parent who recently arrived Nigeria on the 11th Janaury,2020 said there are flagrant abuse of Covid-19 protocols at the Airport that she had to mentioned it which led to seizing of her passport.
She explained that before her passport was released,pressure was mounted on her to delete the footing she took.