By Faith Igbudu
The Benue State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, has called on teachers in the state to be good examples to the children, by leading them to observe COVID-9 protocols.
The commissioner made the call at Saint Joseph’s Primary School, Nyiman during the recent monitoring of schools to ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols within Makurdi metropolis.
According to him, teachers are very central to the educational system and it will be a fatal disaster, should COVID-19 break out among them, adding that the protocols are not just for the good of the children but for the benefit of the teachers as well.
“I will like you to be of good behavior by taking the lead on observing COVID-19 protocols. As teachers, it is very important for you to know that if you are misbehaving and not adhering to COVID-19 protocols at home after you have closed from here, you could pick up the infection and give the children and these are your children and I know you love them.
“I will like to advise strongly all the teachers in Benue State, that we do not want them to attend funerals, weddings and they should avoid all crowded places where people easily pick up the virus,” he said.
In a remark on the adherence, the commissioner expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance and assured that all loosed nuts will be tightened to maintain the status quo of a COVID-19 free educational system in the state, reiterating Governor Samuel Ortom’s passion to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in the state.
“We asked the students to resume on the 18th of January 2021, and the reason is this, Benue State Government had in September of 2020 prepared the students for the new normal and as seen, they have hand washing points, soaps, the classrooms are very well managed, the teachers and students are wearing facemask and have individual alcohol based hand sanitisers.
“Governor Samuel Ortom is very passionate about observing COVID-19 protocols and it is because of his stern warning that at the resumption of schools last year September, the State House of Assembly, together with the Ministry of Education and it’s parastals had monitored visits across the state where some students were randomly tested and I am happy to report that not one case of COVID-19 was recorded in Benue schools, we hope to maintain the standard,” he said.
The commissioner said similar monitoring of schools is going on in the rural areas to be capped with an advanced monitoring team from the headquarters.
The Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Joseph Utse, said the level of compliance at the primary schools visited was satisfactory and appreciated Governor Samuel Ortom and the education commissioner for the attention given to basic education in the state.
Some schools visited were Government Model College, Anglican Secondary School, LGEA Primary School, Demekpe and St Joseph’s Primary School, Nyiman.
