COVID-19 fear: Mixed reactions persist, concern eases as WASSCE begins today

Claims by state governments that they had made adequate preparations for students taking the West African Senior School Examinations, which would start on Monday (today), attracted mixed reactions from parents and teachers on Sunday.

State governments told  The PUNCH  that they had fulfilled all the guidelines released by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to prevent a further spread of COVID-19 during WASSCE.

While some parents expressed satisfaction with the preparations, others said state governments were making claims that did not exist.

Some parents, in separate interviews with our correspondents,  lamented that COVID-19 had become a tool by schools, particularly private ones,  for exploiting students.

Parents said the need to provide face masks, personal protective equipment and other non-pharmaceutical items had increased their financial burden.

In Ogun State, the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Primary and Tertiary Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, said apart from teachers in senior schools, all teachers in junior schools were mobilised for the two-week revision for students.

Soyombo, in a chat with The PUNCH,  said all students were given two face masks, adding that each school had thermometers, running water and buckets.

But some teachers,  who confided in one of our correspondents, lamented that as of Friday, the personal protective equipment had yet to be made available in schools.

While some teachers said they had yet to make provision for social distancing, others said the classrooms had been arranged for the exams.

A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “As of Friday, there was no provision for the PPE for both teachers and students. Some schools were given facemasks, sanitisers, soaps, infrared thermometer with buckets. Certain schools were given tanks.”

A  parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said,  “ The school of my children has mandated us to get them at least three face masks, tissue paper,  sanitizers and face towels. All these would be shown at the school entrance and if students do not have them, the school won’t allow them in. All these will constitute a financial burden for poor parents.”

In Katsina, the Katsina State capital, Alhaji Abdullahi Moshood, expressed fear about the performance of the students.