Admin l Tuesday, August 04, 2020
ABEOKUTA, Nigeria – Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has backed down on the compulsory COVID-19 test for pupil returning to school at a cost of N25,000 per pupil.
The Ogun State Government had mandated all private schools with boarding facilities in the state to make provision for the compulsory test at the rate of N25,000 per pupil in private walk-in labouratories accredited by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) and the Lagos State Government.
“These private laboratories have been accredited by NCDC & Lagos State Government for walk-in tests & charge N50,400 per test but I understand that the Ministries of Health & Education negotiated this to N25,000 for boarding students in private schools that may wish to use them”, he had twitted.
According to him, the State planned and provided testing, free of charge, for boarding students in ‘”our public schools” and allowed for the management and parents of private schools to make their arrangements to get COVID tests, stressing that the two Ogun State run laboratories have a capacity for about 500 tests a day and conduct free tests for traced contacts or symptomatic patients.
But his directive led to uproar, forcing many to stage a protest. Reacting to the development, the governor described the development as highly regrettable and apologized to parents who are affected by the initial government directives.
“The inconvenience and confusion experienced yesterday is highly regrettable and my sincere apologies to the parents and students so affected”, he said, adding that the quality and standard of education and well being of children are issues that are very dear to his heart.
Accordingly, he said Ogun State Government recommends that students who do not have to stay in the boarding house should attend school from home, especially those with underlying health conditions.
“I have also directed the provision of face masks to all students in both private and public schools”, he said, adding that the admittance of students into boarding house in private secondary schools will be at the discretion of the management and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of such private schools.
“Consequently the State Government has therefore stepped down the COVID-19 test as a mandatory requirement for returning students in our exit classes. We therefore enjoin Private School owners to exercise their duty of care to their pupils”, the governor said , adding that as for the initial directive, there was no financial benefit to the State Government.
“After reviewing these developments, I have today immediately directed that the Government Laboratories carry out test for all returning SS3 boarding students at no cost”, he said.
