FG hints at schools still reopening on January 18

Schools across Nigeria may still reopen on Monday, January 18, according to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, while featuring on TVC on Tuesday, noted that until the Ministry of Education announces further directive, the proposed date still stands.

On Monday, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the Federal Government would review the January 18 date which was fixed for resumption of schools across Nigeria.

However, Aliyu clarified that Adamu did not say the date has been changed.

Aliyu said, “As regards schools, I just want to make a clarification, what the minister said yesterday was that they were going to review, he didn’t say that they were going to change the date. He said they will review the situation and let the nation know.

“So, for the moment, it is still 18th January until the Ministry of Education comes back either with an alternative date or reconfirms that.”

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had listed reopening of schools as one of the reasons why COVID-19 numbers have spiked.