By Faith Igbudu
All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS) have promised to synergise with the state government to curb COVID-19 in their various schools.
In an interview with The Voice, President of the union, Patrick Abah, said they were in support with governments’ efforts and will duplicate same in schools to keep them safe.
According to him, the disease is one that demands all hands to be on deck, adding that it is not a time to throw stones on who is defaulting but a fight for survival.
He said that “We are prepared for COVID-19. Earlier, all the educational unions in Benue state, ANCOPPS, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUS), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPS), we came together and met with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry agreed to supply additional facemask to the students.
“On our part, we have contacted a firm in Benue State to produce very good hand sanitisers to be distributed to all our students in the state to be paid for by parents. The deal has been signed so any moment from now, distribution will begin in both primary and secondary schools,” he said.
He further stated that although no noise was made but that all schools were fumigated before school resumption as stipulated in the guidelines, adding that the process for them was an on-going one as they have been taught local methods of fumigation using high disinfectants.
“Schools were fumigated before resumption, we have been taught local methods of fumigation with high powered disinfectants which is needed, especially for the rural schools and we are using it in our schools as often as needed,” he maintained.
On the welfare of teachers in the state, Mr Abah said they do not have any challenge as the government has been up to date with payment of salaries.
“Those of us in government and grant aided schools, we are being paid. The state government is not owing us. We collected up to our December salaries and very soon we will collect that of January, but for the private schools, we met with their union president and there was no much complain except that during the lock down, some schools could not pay their teachers. In general, our welfare is okay,” he concluded.
