Kogi govt directs schools to reopen Monday, Jan. 18

Kogi State government has reaffirmed that all public and private schools in the state are to resume academic activities on Monday, January 18, 2021, and called on all relevant stakeholders to comply.

Wemi Jones, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, made the announcement during a press briefing on Thursday in his office in Lokoja.

The commissioner pointed out that all schools in the state, both public and private, should resume on Monday, January 18, to continue with the first term 2020/2021 academic session.

“It has become imperative for me to address the press this morning to clear the air, so as to prevent confusion on account of school resumption in Kogi State,” Jones said.

“I will like to state unequivocally that resumption date for all schools in Kogi State remains 18th of January, 2021.

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“This applies to both public and private primary and secondary, and tertiary institution of learning in the state,” he said.

Jones equally noted that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology had done a revised school academic calendar to accommodate and cover-up for the two weeks’ break extension due to lockdown prompted by the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

He emphasised that schools in Kogi were initially scheduled to resume on January 4, 2021, for the continuation of first term, but was extended by two weeks due to the general hardship in the country as a result of the second wave of Covid-19 as advised by the Federal Ministry of Education through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, adding that Governor Yahaya Bello had directed the ministry to comply with the two weeks’ break extension in the state as advised by the PTF.

“The governor, thereafter, clearly stated that the state would not jeopardise the education of our children by extending school resumption beyond 18th of January, 2021.

“So, schools must resume in Kogi State across all levels – primary, secondary and tertiary – for both private and public schools on January 18,” Jones said.

He equally called on all boards and agencies under the Kogi State MOEST, and all relevant stakeholders to take note of the development and act accordingly, stressing that the ministry would monitor school resumption as usual and that all heads of schools should comply strictly with the directive.

The commissioner also warned that anything contrary to the directive would attract sanctions from any erring school, adding that the continuation of the first term 2020/2021 academic session would begin on January 18 and end March 5, 2021.

He said that the 2nd term 2020/2021 academic session would commence on March 15 and end May 28, 2021 (10 weeks), while the 3rd term would begin on June 7 and end on August 20, 2021 (11 weeks). He added that the 2021/2022 academic calendar would commence on September 20, 2021.

“If we are able to achieve these, our losses in terms of time wasted during the lockdown period would be very negligible. This remodified calendar has taken care of all national public holidays, and we have taken them into consideration. So, every institution is advised to adhere strictly to it,” he said.

He reiterated the need for teachers, students and parents to note, observe and strictly adhere to all the Covid-19 protocol as stated by the PTF.

“We are very hopeful that we would not suffer any death on account of Covid-19 in our schools. Our state has remained Covid-free and we thank God for the proactiveness of the pragmatic governor that we have,” he said.