Lagos govt to sanction schools defying closure directive

The Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) has warned that schools flouting the directive of the Federal and State Governments on closure would be sanctioned.

The Director-General, OEQA, Mrs Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, in a statement on Monday, condemned the action of some private primary and secondary school owners inviting students to school in spite of the government’s directives to close schools.

Seriki-Ayeni warned owners and administrators of such schools to desist from reopening under whatever guise, as any school caught flouting the directive on closure would be sanctioned.

She said that in order to ensure compliance, the Office Monitoring and Investigation team would embark on compliance monitoring exercises across the state.

According to her, it is to ensure schools adhere strictly to the safety directives issued by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The director-general said that the safety of all children, teachers and the general public was priority.

She added that the government had observed the high compliance of schools except for few indulging in the illegal opening without concern for the health and safety of their pupils.

Seriki-Ayeni implored such schools to stop the trend that could jeopardise the health and future of innocent children.

She, however, said that the general public would be notified when it was right and safe for students to return to school.

The director-general, therefore, solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders in curbing the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

She enjoined anyone with information on such recalcitrant schools to contact the office through its official emails: [email protected] or [email protected].

Recall that the Federal and State Governments ordered the closure of schools across the country to curtail the spread of Coronavirus among students, because of their vulnerability.