Representing the region, 19 education commissioners held a virtual meeting to discuss the central government’s suspension of reopening of schools amidst rising COVID-19 cases. At the end of the meeting, a conclusion was reached in a communique signed by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Makarfi, who is also the chairman of the Northern States School Exchange Programme. While the Federal Government is backtracking on reopening its schools, especially for senior secondary school students to sit their final-year exams, the six states are gearing up for resumption. Contrary to the Federal Government and the northern states’ stance, the South-West states recently announced that they were ready to allow their SSS III students sit the 2019/2020 WASSCE. The parley focused on the need to jointly agree on modalities for the examinations and reopening of schools for graduating students.

Source: The Guardian July 23, 2020 03:25 UTC