Ebola: FCT schools resume with caution

At New Dimension Montessori Academy, Kubwa, pupils approached their school gates, welcomed by a device pointed in their faces. The same was the case at Government Secondary School, Wuse and many others in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). At Ave-Maria Nursery, Primary and Secondary School, those in the secondary section are boarders. From Monday they […]

At New Dimension Montessori Academy, Kubwa, pupils approached their school gates, welcomed by a device pointed in their faces. The same was the case at Government Secondary School, Wuse and many others in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
At Ave-Maria Nursery, Primary and Secondary School, those in the secondary section are boarders. From Monday they had been arriving, luggage and all. “But many of them haven’t resumed yet. They are scared,” a man at the gates revealed. Located at Phase 4, Nyanya, the school faces a large football field that sometimes hosts a crowd of football enthusiasts.  
“The federal government has given us the go-ahead to resume,” the principal, Mr. Mike Unachi, said. “We commend them for the effort so far in containing the Ebola virus. Sometimes, one tends to imagine what would have happened if drastic actions had not been taken.”
He added that: “Before the resumption there was sensitisation and training on how to handle the problem, of which I personally attended. We wash hands, conduct tests at the gate and also do routine checks. We are a boarding school, so we make sure that in strategic places there are hand wash buckets, sanitizers and a clean environment. That is how far we have gone. If there is any further step the government would like us to take, we would. Especially in our angle as private sector, we do more than the public schools. Ave Maria is a faith based school and it is said ‘cleanliness is next to godliness,’ so we don’t joke with it at all. Our academic activities have kicked off in earnest. We have lost so many weeks, so we didn’t waste time at all. In fact, some parents were calling me that they wanted to bring their children on Sunday and over 80 percent of the students have resumed already.”
Responding to the period the government chose to open schools, Unachi said: “I believe opening the schools at this time is very right. The fear of Ebola is even worse, just like the case with the salted water that led to the death of some people. They died because they lacked knowledge.”
On challenges they are facing due to the changes, he explained that they already had their academic budget, but with the Ebola incident, they had to go overboard and adjust it. “We pay tax, so we would appreciate it if there are some incentives and the environment is made more conducive for us.”Unachi added.
A teacher at Ave Maria, Stella Ojo, stated that they went as far as buying thermometers, adding that: “We are glad to have the students back.”
Rahael Akpan, aged 14, who is in SSS IInarrated the peculiar experience of having his temperature checked and using hand sanitizers at the school: “I was tired of the holiday while at home because it was too long. Now here, my daily routine has changed. If you touch some things that do not belong to you, you have to quickly sanitize your hands.  Among us there is now enough personal space.”
Another SSS II student, Godwin Ugeake, explained that his relationship with other students is still good, but added that: “It’s just that many people are scared and we don’t share our cups and plates like we used to.”      
With the initial uncertainty that trailed the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, the federal government took a proactive measure to extend the resumption dates of all public and private to October but later changed the date to September 22 after it said the spread of EVD had been brought under control.
The Nigeria Medical Association backed the move while the Nigeria Union of Teachers had ordered its members to shun academic activities until government provided necessary gadgets in schools to check the spread of the virus. About 14 States, including Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Niger, Zamfara, Adamawa, Kwara and Ebonyi have delayed the resumption schools in their areas till October.
However, despite misgivings, schools within the FCT resumed on last Monday after initiating several methods to ensure sound personal hygiene among the pupils, students, parents and other visitors to the schools.
“Please you have to use the thermometer before you are allowed to step in,” the security guard at Kids Ville Nursery and Primary School said before letting these reporters in and then accompanied them to a basin to wash their hands with a disinfectant. “This is how we do to everybody that comes into the school,” he added.
At Junior Secondary School, Gwarinpa, the principal, Bashir Abubakar, said: “All the school principals attended a workshop on Ebola while two teachers were also sent for sensitisation workshops after which they would in turn train others. All the proactive measures we had expected have been put in place.Yesterday a girl was having a fever and she was told to go home. I ensure that the toilets are washed every morning and the grasses cut low. The children are safe.”
Roseline Nwedo, the head teacher of Kids Ville Nursery and Primary School, explained that every child is aware of Ebola. “They welcome the preventive measures and perform it effectively. This shows that they have implemented them at home, so it is not new to them,” she stated.
Parents have indeed taken the bull by the horns. Mrs Janet Olatunji, resides in Kado area of the FCT, noted that every morning she takes her daughter to Oasis International School and always washes her hands along with her daughter. “This, I do, not only in the morning and afternoon, but we repeat the same process when the school closes,” she added.