The Federal Capital Administration (FCTA) has ordered the closure of schools in the FCT effective from today, Friday, March 20, 2020.
The move may not be unconnected with the recent confirmation of 12 cases of coronavirus in Nigeria and ongoing rumours of the virus in the FCT.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the FCT Minister of State, Mr Austine Elemue on Thursday
Mr Austine said the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, ordered the shutdown of schools as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of the virus which has affected 27 African countries and killed over 6,500 people.
Mr Elemue said students were not expected to be in school from Monday the 23rd.
He advised schools that can get the information across to their students to order students to stay home after today.
The Special Assistant to the minister, however, assured parents that lost school time will be catered for subsequently.
Meanwhile the FCT Minister of State, also directed that social gatherings and worship centres be restricted to avoid large gatherings that could further endanger the health of others, stressing that shop owners who fail to provide hand sanitizers and other preventive measures will be closed down indefinitely.
Similarly, as part of its proactive safety measures arising from the global Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the Enugu State Government has Directed public and private primary and secondary schools in the state to conclude all activities in their various schools and shut down on or before Friday, March 27, 2020.
In a statement by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, the state government further enjoined teachers and students to continue to observe the School Water Sanitization and Hygiene Programme (WASH) operative in the state as well as other standard personal hygiene protocol for prevention of COVID-19 infection.
Also, due to the continuous spread of the virus, the Lagos State Government has also ordered the closure of all public and private schools in the state.
