The Edo State Government has said it is fine-tuning arrangements with federal tertiary institutions in the state to allow for the reopening of the institutions for academic activities in compliance with the state’s COVID-19 protocols.
Addressing journalists on the state COVID-19 response, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Osamwonyi Irowa, said that the state government will continue to implement policies to check the spread of the disease.
According to him, the state’s COVID-19 response team held a meeting with federal institutions in the state on the requirements for the reopening for academic activities.
He noted, “We have engaged with the various institutions to ensure that if they have to resume ahead of what has been mandated, they need to meet the minimum standard the state government has set for Edo people.
Whether you want to hear it or not, the truth is that some of the students reside in Edo, the teachers reside in Edo, while others reside in other parts of the country from where they could actually be bringing COVID-19 into Edo State.
“Some students reside in various communities and interact with their parents. We don’t want a situation where after having done our best to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will now record instances of imported cases into our state.”
He continued: “Because of the nature of children, they are very free in relating without any worries about other people. If the institutions must resume, they have to meet all the minimum requirements which some of them have actually started implementing. The outcome of our meeting with them will determine if they would resume.”
