Ebola: Teachers won't resume on Sept 22 —NUT

►The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, yesterday, directed it members to ignore the September 22, 2014, resumption date for primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.

►This came as the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, advised the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to re-open schools on September 22.

National President of NUT, Michael Olukoya, gave the directive while briefing journalists in Abuja.

He said the teachers should only resume if the Federal Government sufficiently trained and provided them with necessary preventive and protective gadgets on Ebola virus.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government changed the resumption date from September 8, 2014, to October 13, 2014, over the out-break of Ebola virus in the country.

The date was reviewed from October 13 to September 22, 2014, based on the advice of the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who said based on the progress made so far that over  98 per cent success had been recorded across the nation.

Olukoya said:   “But where the Federal Government insists on September 22, 2014, date, in spite of  wise counsel, the union will rather direct teachers to resume schools whenever they are sufficiently trained and their schools have been provided with the necessary preventive and protective gadgets.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the teachers have this day, resolved to resume classes in obedience to the Federal Government directive, in states where teachers have been trained to handle any out-break and all the required preventive and protective gadgets such as hand gloves, sanitizers, infra-red thermometers, running water and soaps have been provided as directed by Federal Government of Nigeria.

“In states where the training has not been done and necessary safeguarding gadgets not provided, teachers shall continue to remain at home until their state governments respond positively or the union directs them to the contrary.”