NEARLY six months after universities were shut nationwide as part of the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus plague, plans to reopen them are enmeshed in a whiff of dissonance. On the...
NEARLY six months after universities were shut nationwide as part of the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus plague, plans to reopen them are enmeshed in a whiff of dissonance. On the one side, the government, students and some private university owners reason that with the falling rates in infections and the examples from other countries, these tertiary institutions are fit to resume.
Before then, the Academic Staff Union of Universities had, however, warned the Federal Government against resumption as canvassed by some stakeholders. ASUU hinged its opposition to immediate resumption on two pegs. One, its members have been on strike because of the wage dispute instigated by their enrolment on the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System.
All this leaves the proposal to reopen in jeopardy. Although COVID-19, a global phenomenon that gave scant warning before it emerged in December in China, has exposed its flaws, some of the other quandaries besetting university education in Nigeria are self-inflicted. There has been a pronounced crisis for decades. It is either ASUU is jostling for better wages and earned allowances, university autonomy or demanding better funding of the schools.
With the reopening controversy lingering, the rest of the world is leaving Nigeria behind. In fact, schools did not close for a day in Taiwan, Nicaragua and Sweden despite the virulent COVID-19 outbreak. Norway reopened its schools in April. A WHO tally said 20 countries had reopened schools in phases as of June with the strict enforcement of protocols on sanitation, hygiene and distancing. Germany welcomed back 7.15 million students at 563 schools since the COVID-19 outbreak in August.
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
COVID-19 Weekly Review: Nigeria's deaths last week highest in a monthLast week's record of 1,178 new COVID-19 cases is Nigeria's lowest in four months.
Read more »
COVID-19: Kwara deputy governor's wife, Abieyuwa recovers - Daily Post NigeriaWife of Kwara State Deputy Governor, Mrs Abieyuwa Alabi, has recovered from coronavirus. Mrs Alabi tested negative to the virus following repeated tests
Read more »
COVID-19: Africa records 1.2m cases, 30,000 deaths
Read more »
COVID-19: Nigerians shouldn’t relax yet – Ooni of Ife - Daily Post NigeriaOba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, has warned Nigerians against relaxing in the observation of necessary protocols as COVID-19 cases continue to drop.
Read more »
ASUU alleges falsification of COVID-19 figuresThe Nsukka Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Friday, expressed concern over reduction in reported cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, allegi
Read more »