The Abia State Executive Council has approved the reopening of primary and secondary schools in Abia State for Monday, September 28, 2020, to complete the third term of the 2019/2020 academic year. All primary and secondary schools are expected to start revision classes immediately and do so for one week.
The third term examination will start on Monday, October 5 and run till October 16, 2020, and it will be based on the topics covered in first and second terms of the 2019/2020 academic year as well as the Radio/TV Classroom Program studies.
After the third term examination, the pupils and students will go for a short break to allow the teachers to mark and compute the promotional examination results.
Pupils and students in private schools will be expected to pay only 30% of third term school fees and 30% of the approved levies in public senior secondary schools.
Any school that charges any approved fees or levies beyond the 30% limit will be appropriately sanctioned. In this regard, all parents/guardians and their children/wards should insist on collecting a receipt for every money paid.
On Monday, October 26, 2020, the first term of the 2020/2021 academic session will commence. All pupils and students must return to school to commence academic activities for the term.
The first term of 2020/2021 academic session will run from October 26 to December 23, 2020, before a short break from December 24, 2020 – January 3, 2021.
From Monday, January 4, 2021, the first term will continue and end on January 21, 2021. All students will pay the normal full school fees and levies for the first term.
The second term of 2020/2021 academic session will commence on Monday, February 1, 2021, and run for 12 weeks ending on Thursday, April 22, 2021.
The third term for the 2020/2021 academic session will start on May 10, 2021, and end on August 5, 2021.
The education loving Governor of this State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, and the State Executive Council, approved the above arrangements to make sure that Abia school children do not miss anything in their academic activities. We want to assure everyone that these measures, hard and tight as they may appear, are put in place to keep our educational system running effectively.
All Creche, Nursery and Kindergarten Schools will, however, remain closed for now till Government considers it safe for them to resume.
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
To make sure that the COVID-19 spread is curtailed and put in check, all the protocols already in place in our schools will continue to be observed.
Every Headteacher and Principal must ensure that the COVID-19 guidelines established when the exit classes returned to school are strictly maintained.
For example:
1. The use of thermometers to check the temperature at the gate every day will continue.
2. Regular washing of hands with soap and water at the established handwashing stations will continue and more stations should be created where needed.
3. The use of hand sanitizers by staff and pupils/students will continue.
4. All administrators, teachers, students and visitors to all our schools must wear face masks.
5. No long breaks for now. We will continue to have supervised short breaks in the classes.
6. No games/sports activities, organized or not, will be allowed in our schools for now.
7. We will continue to maintain social and physical distancing of at least 2m in our classes.
8. No general morning assemblies will be held in our schools. Teachers should conduct morning prayers before the first period every day.
9. All schools must take advantage of the COVID-19 lectures they have received to constantly teach and remind pupils and students that protection from the infection is a personal responsibility that no one should neglect at any time.
10. All Schools must run from 8.00 am to 1.40 pm daily only. No afternoon or evening lessons of any sort should be arranged. Pupils and students must be allowed to go home after 1.40 pm every day.
11. The sick bays and isolation centres already created in our schools must be maintained. Report all suspected cases promptly by calling 07002242362.
REMEMBER, YOU NEED TO STAY HEALTHY AND ALIVE TO HAVE A GOOD TOMORROW.
STAY SAFE AND STAY WELL! ALWAYS BE COVID 19 CONSCIOUS!!
Assoc. Prof Kanelechi CK Nwangwa
Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Education.
September 25, 2020.
