Ahead of this years’ WAEC and NECO Examinations the Rivers State Government has expressed readiness to allow students of the exit classes into the public school campuses to write their external examinations distributed COVID-19 equipments to the 257 school principals in the state.
Handing over the equipments staffs and students to the principals, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku asked them to take responsibility of the safety of their school environments and charged them on strict compliance to COVID-19 precautionary measures.
The commissioner who maintained that school environments are the most disciplined environment disclosed that the COVID-19 equipments were graciously procured by the Governor. Bar Nyesom wike to ensure that students are safe as they resume and go back to school.
He also said most of the relevant schools have been disinfected by the ministry of Environment in readiness for the resumption and assured that the on -going decontamination and disinfection process is to ensure that all schools are decontaminated before students will be allowed into the campuses.
Prof. Ebeku further informed that the 477 Private school centers in the state are not left out as the ministry deployed some staff who went round the private schools to ascertain that their level of preparedness was in accordance with the established COVID-19 protocols.
On students’ readiness for the external examinations, he expressed hope that the ”Stay Safe Continue Learning Programme”organised by the ministry of Education using the state radio and television stations including from march when schools were shut down assisted the students greatly in preparing for their WAEC and NECO examinations.
”Our digital radio programme is ongoing since then so our students are ready and I can assure you I am looking forward for them bringing to us the top position in the league of candidates in Nigeria this year because we started on time.
Apart from the state radio and televiion stations we have been using, AIT also volunteered to assist our students which increased the reach for those who are serious to take advantage of the Stay Safe Continue Learning Programme. 70% of all our candidates at all levels had access and benefited from the programme”, he stated.
Commending the Governor for ensuring that a strong synergy exists among the relevant ministries and MDAs responsible for fighting the COVID-19 war in the state, the Education Boss hinted that decontamination is being handled by the ministry of Environment while the COVID-19 equipments being distributed to schools are coming from the ministry of Health.
Some of the principals who spoke with NATIONAL NETWORK expressed readiness to resume schools and commended Governor Wike for the gesture saying it will go a long way to help them.
