In a bid to curb further spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in the state, school activities were halted from the initially planned date of September 22, 2014.
The state government issued a directive on a reschedule in the re-opening date and most school complied with the instructions and failed to resume on the previous date.
To this effect, all private and government-owned primary and secondary school students across Lagos State commenced the academic session of 2014/2015 calendar on Wednesday, October 8, 2014.
The first day of resumption was set apart to sensitize pupils and students in various schools on the possible ways of averting the most recent epidemic of Ebola Virus Disease that struck the nation.
The disease permeated the country in July through and American-Liberian citizen known as Patrick Sawyer who initially contracted it from his sister in Liberia.
According to Vanguard, during a visit to some schools in the state, school heads expressed satisfaction with the level of preventive and precautionary measures put in place by the government.
The Administrative Head of Gloryville College, Okoko, Mr. Obe Olubunmi, made it known to journalists that the government fulfilled their promise of providing Ebola Preventive materials to schools.
He said, “Everything is in order and we had our students screened this morning before admitting them into classes.”
Furthermore, a member of staff of Staff Nursery and Primary School, Ijanikin, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that the school received facilities including thermo-scanners and sanitizers from the government.
“The government has provided facilities to ensure preventive and protective measures against the EVD. About 24 infrared thermo-scanners were given to us and they will be used daily by the school to screen entrants, including pupils, parents and staff into the school,” the anonymous source said.
According to the Principal of United Christian Senior Secondary School, Apapa, Mrs. Patricia Olujumu, the school management attended the seminar on Ebola Sensitization.
Olujumu said, “We have awareness seminar and workshop. The principals and head teachers went to the seminar. After the training we were given the infra-red thermo-scanner. A new tap was fixed in the school, buckets, soaps, jerry cans were also provided.
“We thank God for what is happening around. All we now have to do is be watchful. We know that we don’t have Ebola around again, but because neighbouring states have it, we must be alert and highly hygienic.”
Meanwhile, the Proprietor of Ansol Schools, Ejigbo, Evangelist Michael Akanni, urged students to observe maximum care as to what they touch as the school activities takes its normal commence. He also lauded the administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola for taking proactive measures to geared towards averting the threats posed by the EVD epidemic.
The newsmen also paid a visit to different schools in Ojo town of the state and discovered that there were adequate Ebola preventive facilities as directed by the Ministries of Health and Education.
In one of the schools visited at Ojo, Great God’s Delight School, the body temperature of parents, guardians and their wards were checked at the gate after which they were asked to wash their hands with soap and sanitizers thereafter.
The Administrator of Elias International Schools, Oke-Odo, Alimosho, Mrs. Oluwaguno Oluwakemi while speaking with the correspondents said the school has provided all the EVD preventive materials.
“We have taps at the gate for the children, we have hand sanitizers, we have hand-washing basins and infra-red thermometers,” Oluwakemi said.
