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The Ibadan zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that it is not in any way opposed to reopening of universities in the country, but it noted that proper arrangement must be put in place to ensure safety of students and staff in general
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, the zonal coordinator for the Ibadan zone of the union, comprising University of Ibadan (UI); University of Ilorin (Unilorin); Osun State University (UniOsun); Kwara State University (KWASU), and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Professor Ade Adejumo, said that: “Throwing schools open in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic is an open invitation to a tragic explosion of the scourge on a scale never witnessed anywhere since its outbreak.”
He, however, asked Nigerians to “honestly interrogate this position.”
Adejumo, who noted that there have been agitations from some quarters for the government to re-open schools, especially by proprietors of private universities, said that lives of students should not be endangered for pecuniary gains.
“Has the Nigerian government met the NCDC criteria on COVID-19 protocol in our institutions? Must we endanger the lives of our children for pecuniary gains? Should the primary issue on life and death be used on profit matter?
“COVID-19 is still very much with us. It is in recognition of this fact that the government itself has rolled out certain conditions to be met before schools are re-opened. How many of our public institutions can confidently vouch for the safety of our children given the available facilities such as the provision of running water for handwashing; social distancing among students; the use of recommended face masks and shields, which are key components of NCDC protocols. A situation where a room meant for four now houses 20 students cannot be said to be social-distancing compliant. Our position, as a responsible Union on all these is that throwing schools open in the midst of all these is an open invitation to a tragic explosion of the COVID-19 scourge on a scale never witnessed anywhere since its outbreak. When this happens, Nigerians will not say that they were never warned,” he said.