The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has explained that the government closed down all schools in the state in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in order not to endanger the lives of pupils and students.
Governor Bello gave the explanation in a statement released on Wednesday to mark the 2020 Children’s Day celebration.
In the statement signed by Mary Noel Berje, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bello explained that the closure of schools has gone a long way to check the spread of the coronavirus disease thereby protecting the lives of the young ones.
“The government deems it necessary to close down schools so as not to endanger the lives of pupils and students by contracting and spreading the virus.
“Like we know, every child is a gift from God and should be treated with dignity,” the governor declared.
Bello however said that the “state government is monitoring the situation of the pandemic and will follow and abide by the decisions of the federal government on the reopening of schools”.
The governor claimed that to keep the children educationally engaged during the lockdown, the government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Ministry of Education has organised summer classes for the children.
He congratulated the children and urged them to see the pandemic “as an inspiration to study hard, so that when things normalize, they will resume normal lives with more determination and vigour”.
He also charged them to observe all precautionary measures that have been put in place by health professionals and the government to avoid contracting and spreading the virus especially in the areas of social distancing, use of masks, hand washing and personal hygiene.
The government did not organise any event to mark the 2020 Children’s Day.
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