Lagos: Defiant On School Resumption Date, Says No Going Back

By Akinwale Kasali

Controversy is trailing the resumption date for Schools across Lagos State.

The Lagos State Ministry of Education had announced that Schools in the State will resume on April 25th, 2022, as against the May 9th, 2022, Federal Government’s resumption date for Unity Schools across the country.

This has, however, led to calls from different quarters that the Lagos State Government should follow the resumption date stated by the Federal Government.

Following this development, the Lagos  State Government has insisted that both public and private schools across the state must resume on Monday, 25 April, in line with the harmonized academic calendar for 2022/2022 session.

The state government disclosed that the academic calender for the session had been fixed and that it would be necessary for all parties to adhere strictly to it, in other to avoid disruption.

According to the Government, all Proprietors and Administrators who are saddled with the responsibility of coordinating students’ affairs, must ensure that they resume on the stipulated date.

It maintained that the concerns expressed by Principals and school owners on public holidays, including Workers day, Eid-El-Fltr and Eid-El-Kabir, have been put into consideration and embedded in the calendar as well.

The Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance for the state, Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, stressed that all school administrators must adhere strictly to the directives.

Seriki-Ayeni further cautioned the school owners and Principals as well as Teachers against disregarding planned resumption dates approved by stakeholders in the state.

She explained that the holidays which had started on Friday 8th April, 2022 ends on Friday, 22, April as stated in the academic calendar while the 3rd term begins on 25th April, 2022.

Meanwhile, the Education Assurance boss mandated teachers and proprietors to ensure strict compliance with the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, aimed at ensuring safety within the learning environment.

In a statement,  Seriki-Ayeni warned students against involving in social vices as they prepare for their resumption and urged parents should monitor the activities of their wards at home.

According to the statement: “As schools resume, proprietors and school administrators must ensure strict compliance with the Lagos State safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. Schools are to also ensure full compliance with all safety protocols on their premises towards a safe learning environment as the state government is committed to the delivery of Quality Education.”