The topic of what the school resumption date should be was initiated by the “introduction” of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) to Nigeria by the Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer. The Federal Government ordered to reopen Nigerian schools on September 22. This decision is backed by the Ministry of Health. Despite all official reassurances, many Nigerian parents, teachers, lawmakers and health workers are still unconvinced and demand to further postpone the day of school resumption.

We received a letter from Michelle Dubem-Nwachukwu, a resident of Port Harcourt. In her message, she says parents in PH are not happy with the government’s decision for schools to resume earlier than it has been initially planned. Recall that the government has announced September 22 as the new and final school resumption date, instead of previously considered October 13. Ms. Dubem-Nwachukwu urges Nigerians to “exercise our rights as parents to keep back our children at home until at least the first or second week in October when all surveillance cases have been cleared. … It is alarming to think the magnitude of harm that could come to the nation if Ebola should break out in just one school!”

We have asked Ceoafrica readers if they thought it is safe for our children to resume schools on September 22.

“Further postpone school resumption”

As expected, Nigerians have split into two more or less equal groups. Those who opposed the September 22 school resumption date faulted the “greedy” private schools owners and expressed doubts that all schools have been provided with the EVD-preventive equipment. Many have declared they were not going to send their children to school until the EVD scare is contained. This group of respondents also agreed that, since school resumption, all facilities should have trained medical staff to tend to the children.

School Resumption Date Discussed By Nigerian Parents

The topic of what the school resumption date should be was initiated by the “introduction” of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) to Nigeria by the Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer. The Federal Government ordered to reopen Nigerian schools on September 22. This decision is backed by the Ministry of Health. Despite all official reassurances, many Nigerian parents, teachers, lawmakers and health workers are still unconvinced and demand to further postpone the day of school resumption.

We received a letter from Michelle Dubem-Nwachukwu, a resident of Port Harcourt. In her message, she says parents in PH are not happy with the government’s decision for schools to resume earlier than it has been initially planned. Recall that the government has announced September 22 as the new and final school resumption date, instead of previously considered October 13. Ms. Dubem-Nwachukwu urges Nigerians to “exercise our rights as parents to keep back our children at home until at least the first or second week in October when all surveillance cases have been cleared. … It is alarming to think the magnitude of harm that could come to the nation if Ebola should break out in just one school!”

We have asked Ceoafrica readers if they thought it is safe for our children to resume schools on September 22.

“Further postpone school resumption”

As expected, Nigerians have split into two more or less equal groups. Those who opposed the September 22 school resumption date faulted the “greedy” private schools owners and expressed doubts that all schools have been provided with the EVD-preventive equipment. Many have declared they were not going to send their children to school until the EVD scare is contained. This group of respondents also agreed that, since school resumption, all facilities should have trained medical staff to tend to the children.