Be Patient With Government
–NAPPS Chairman Urges Members
The Chairman of National Association Of Proprietors Of Private Schools (NAPPS), Ika North East LGA Chapter, Mr. Mbulu Patrick, has appealed to registered members of the association to be patient with the Delta State Government on the partial reopening of schools in the local government area.
Mr. Mbulu, who gave the charge at his office on Monday, October 12, 2020, during an interactive session with newsmen, on the partial reopening of public and private schools in the State for the commencement of the 2020/2021 academic session; in his words said, “We thank the Delta State Governor His Excellency Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for this privilege because some states are still closed, we have an opportunity to reopen schools even though it is a partial reopening, like the government told us, through the State Commissioner For Basic Education Dr. Ukah, saying it’s a reopening in phases; though we started from the Secondary school students to the Primary school pupils while the Nursery school pupils are to stay at home for now”.
Continuing, he said, “I will like to appeal to our members to please be patient with government, we are still at the experimental phase of reopening, we need to see how the students will react to the social distancing regulation, the protocols of COVID-19 prevention, because asking a child to seat down for straight four hours is not an easy task, we need to see how it works, we need to see how asking a child to stay in school for four hours without play, we need to see how that will work also; so these are the things that we need to study, the government is still experimenting these things to see how they will work before they can now say okay if it has worked thus far, then let’s get the Nursery pupils back to school and we will now implement this given pattern for them to resume properly”.
The NAPPS Chairman, stated that the state government actually needs to know how the current arrangement will work first before knowing how to get the younger pupils back to school.
Speaking further, Mr. Mbulu Patrick, who is the Proprietor of New Generation International Schools, located at 17, Nwadam Street, Boji Boji Owa, disclosed that the leadership of the association with the state executive of NAPPS is still discussing with the state government and the Commissioner for Basic Education; saying that as stakeholders they need to rob minds together in order to study how the new arrangement is going and what can be put in place to make sure that everything is working smoothly so that everyone can come back to school.
Speaking on the observance of the protocols for the prevention of contacting the coronavirus diseases; he urged all private school owners, administrators, teachers, students, pupils and everyone to adhere strictly to all the lay down rules and regulations outlined by the Nigeria Center For Disease Control (NCDC), the federal and state governments.
Continuing, he said, “For now Nursery school pupils are not supposed to be in session, let’s keep them home, the government that says we should keep them have their best reasons; knowing that the children are not just our children only they are government children as well, hence we need to be very careful on how we go about this things for the safety of these children. So please I will appeal to all NAPPS members schools to ask their Nursery school pupils parents to keep their children at home, because in few weeks time definitely we will hear from government; the government is sensitive they understand this things that the children must go to school for us to have a better society and so we are hopeful that in a few weeks they will tell us what to do to get this children back to school; for now let us obey the instruction to keep the children back home”.
Speaking further, the NAPPS Chairman, enjoined the school owners to make sure that they observe all the protocols; “Keep your hand washing equipments, make sure the students and primary school pupils come to school with their face masks, observe social distancing in classrooms and measure the temperature of the students as they come in and even as they go; from time to time make sure you have the health officer of the school to go round and ensure that everyone is in good condition”; he concluded.
Mr. Mbulu Patrick, NAPPS Chairman, Ika N/E Chapter
Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa
