The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said the union is in support of the decision of the Federal Government to Postpone the conduct of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination earlier scheduled to commence on August 4 until it is safe to reopen.
According to the ASUU President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, no reasonable government would take such chances unless parents would be told to sign an undertaking.
Ogunyemi said, “Look, Kenya has said they have closed all their schools till next year (2021); they too have exams to write. Safety first. If it means closing the schools until next year to safeguard the lives of Nigerian children and safeguard the health of all Nigerians, so be it.
“So, if that will help us to address cases that can lead to an increase in mortality, I think Nigerians should go that way and all of us should see reason for it. If they need to cancel admission for the year, it is good for them. Life matters first, people must have a life first before they can go to university. Are the universities ready to work now?
He said the position of the union is that the FG should not experiment with the lives of the children adding that things will eventually normalize and there is another opportunity for external candidates by November which the students can take advantage of.
The ASUU President, however, stated that if the Government is able to put all the things in place, including social and physical distancing, sanitisers, kitting the children, decontamination with water flowing in the schools and all the gadgets, as well as other necessary protocols, they can go ahead to reopen the schools but if not, they shouldn’t experiment with the lives of the students.
On the issue of Reopening Universities, Prof. Biodun said that universities may not be reopened even if the federal government orders the resumption of all schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic as the universities are battling series of other crisis.
