We will not resume classes without E virus prevention materials, says Akwa Ibom NUT

UYO – The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Akwa Ibom State chapter, says teachers in the state will not resume classes without the provision of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) prevention kits to schools.

Secretary of the Union, Dr Mike Ene, made the statement on Thursday in Uyo in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that teachers in the state would comply with the directive of the Federal Government to resume classes on Sept. 22 but would not teach. [eap_ad_2] He said that the state government had promised that two teachers from each school in the state would be trained on the prevention of the disease,

“But so far, the numbers of teachers who have been trained are not up to 50 per cent.

“The Ebola virus is too deadly for one to take it for granted; we don’t want the issue of the disease to be like that of the Chibok girls that is still hanging in the air.

“We are ready to work provided every school is provided with temperature testing machine, sanitizers, hand gloves and other relevant materials,’’ he said.

The Secretary urged the government to provide EVD prevention materials to teachers to enable them resume classes.

Ene explained that schools in the rural areas were those that deserve more attention because rural dwellers eat a lot of bush meat.

He said that since pupils in primary schools and students in secondary school share a lot of things in common while in school, it would be easy to spread the disease if there is infection.

A parent, Mr Okon Edet, with children in primary and secondary schools, said that schools should not be reopened if the EVD prevention kits are not provided to schools.

He said that though the academic calendar of the schools would be affected, “it is better for the right thing to be done than rushing to resume.’’ (NAN)[eap_ad_3]