Delta To Sanction Private Schools Who Flout Resumption Date For KG 1-3

The Delta State Government has threatened to sanction any public/private schools which violates the resumption schedule for nursery/pre-primary (KG 1-3) pupils in the state months after the schools were shut down due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Patrick Ukah, gave the warning in a statement on Tuesday in Asaba, the state capital.

According to him, any private school owners in the state who goes contrary to the directive of the state government will be sanctioned appropriately.

He said that officials of the ministry have been ordered to visit private schools in the state to fish out defaulters.

He noted that the state is implementing phased resumption of schools as occasioned by the COVID-19 Pandemic and that critical stakeholders in the education sector are of the opinion that nursery/pri-primary pupils will resume academic activities in January 2021.

Mr. Ukah advised parents and guardians not to hurry and take their children and wards in the aforementioned classes to school as government has not approved the resumption of academic activities for them.

Specifically, the Basic and Secondary Education Commissioner cautioned private school proprietors who are contravening state government’s directives to retrace their steps or face appropriate punishment.

Recalls Mr. Ukah had earlier said that “the resumption date for the 1st term 2020/2021 academic session for all pupils and students in primary and secondary schools is on Monday, October 12.

“They are to terminate on December 18, 2020, while the date for the resumption for 2nd term is January 4, 2021, and will end on March 31, 2021.

Explaining further, Ukah had said that 3rd term will commence from April 12 and end on August 13, 2021.

The long duration for the term is to give sufficient time to cover rolled over content from the last session, inter-house sports, and mid-term break which are not applicable to other terms.

The commissioner had earlier explained prior to the October 12 general schools resumption date, that the resumption for all nursery/pre-primary KG 1 to 3 pupils have been deferred to January 2021.