COVID-19: Ebonyi Reopens Schools Jan. 18

• Ebonyi, schools

The Ebonyi Government has directed schools across the state to resume for the continuation of the first term of the 2020 /2021 academic session on Jan. 18.

This is contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Onyebuchi Chima, on Saturday in Abakaliki.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that public, private and mission schools in the state were originally slated to resume for the continuation of the first term on Jan. 4.

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NAN recalls that the Ebonyi government had directed schools to vacate for the Christmas holiday on Dec. 18, 2020, after it reopened schools in October, with the lifting of lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“I have been directed by Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, to inform the general public that resumption of academic activities in Ebonyi schools have been shifted to Monday, Jan. 18, as against the initial resumption date of Jan. 4.

“The postponement is due to the need to take precautions against the impending second wave of COVID-19 and in compliance to the directives of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 pandemic,’’ Chima stated.

The statement further added that tertiary institutions in the state would resume academic activities on Monday, Jan. 4 on condition of strict observance of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) COVID-19 protocols.

It said the governor explained that the decision to allow tertiary institutions to reopen was to ensure the return of students to full academic activities, especially as the Academic Staff Union of Universities had suspended its nine months industrial action.