An Igbo socio-cultural youth organisation, Igbo Youth Assembly Worldwide (IYAW), has backed the decision of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to postpone reopening of schools across the country due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement issued on Saturday by the IYAW President General, Mr Ifeanyi Nwaudunna, stated that the safety and health of students and pupils ought to be the priority of every Nigerian.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adamu had after Wednesday’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting told newsmen that it would be preferable for Nigerian students to lose one academic year than expose them to danger.
He went further to appeal to the West African Examination Council (WAEC), which had fixed Aug. 5, as commencement date for its examinations, and state governments to put off plans of reopening schools until the pandemic was defeated.
His comments attracted reactions from different quarters including Afenifere, a socio-cultural organisation for the Yoruba people in the country, which called for the sack of the minister.
Nwaudunna, however, said that the minister’s comments were in order considering that students and pupils were the future of the country.
“IYA Worldwide strongly agreed to the decision of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, over the postponement of re-opening of schools across the country.
“We must protect the lives of the future generation of the most populous black nation.
“We also strongly condemn the call by Afenifere for President Buhari to sack the Ministers of Education and the Minister of State for Education, Mr Emeka Nwajiuba,” Nwaudunna stated.
The group noted that the call for the sack of the ministers demonstrated lack of love and concern for health and safety of the children and future of the country.
Nwaudunna also described the call for the ministers’ sack as “unpatriotic and uncivil”.
The IYAW president general appealed to Nigerians to support the Federal Government on the fight against COVID-19 pandemic with the hope that the virus would be eradicated soon.
Nwaudunna also appealed to state governors who had yet to heed to the minister’s advise to reconsider their plans of reopening schools until further notice.
He urged Nigerians to adhere to the stipulated rules and guidelines from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), aimed at curtailing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
This, he said, would guarantee the defeat of the virus and enable the reopening of schools and other businesses as well as stabilisation of the country and world economy.
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