School resumption: 2,454 teachers train on safe reopening

Ahead of the September 21 schools resumption in Oyo State, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has concluded the training of 2,454 Head Teachers in the State, on COVID-19 preventive measures.

The Training session which held across all Educational zones in the State, started on Tuesday and ended on Thursday, September 10, 2020.

Speaking at the closing of the training, the Executive Chairman, Oyo SUBEB, Dr Nureni Adeniran said, the Board, in collaboration with Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) embarked on the capacity building of all teachers at Primary school level as directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

Noting that the effort was in view of World Health Organisation’s submission that COVID-19 might still be around for a while, the Oyo SUBEB chair said the training is complementing Oyo State Government’s efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

He recalled that the State government had earlier organized and funded the training of School Administrators on COVID-19 preventive measures for both Primary and Secondary school teachers.

Adeniran further said that the State Government’s zeal is to prepare Head teachers for a safe and hitch-free reopening of schools and learning facilities, while taking into consideration the health, safety, environmental protection and security of learners, teachers, education personnel and families.

He urged attendees at the training to follow stipulated measures, actions and recommendations put in place by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Oyo State Emergency Operation Centre, adding that the State government proactively aligned some of its policies and actions along with Federal Government, International Agencies, MDAs, so as to prevent the escalation of the disease within school environment and the entire populace.

Adeniran added that proactive steps of the Board, through its Learning-on-air programmes cushioned the devastating impact of COVID-19 might have had on pupils and the Primary education sector.

The six major topics in the training, organised by Oyo State Emergency Operation Centre focused on managing schools and ensuring safety in the post-COVID lockdown; the concept and practice of social distancing and its implications; promoting personal, environmental hygiene and cough etiquette as safeguard against COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

Other topics include, observing other preventive measures against COVID-19 with the use of face-mask; dealing with the psychological effects of pandemic and lockdown on learner and helping them to overcome the trauma and adjust to the realities of the disease; and identifying and responding to learners showing signs of illness.

The training was witnessed by representatives of UBEC, Nigeria Union of Teachers and Association of Primary School Head teachers of Nigeria.