A don, Prof. Adegoke Adegbite, has urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision on non-participation of Nigerian pupils in the 2020 West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, had on July 7, said that Nigerian students would not be participating in the 2020 WASSCE in order to curtail the spread of Coronavirus.
Adegbite, Dean of Postgraduate School, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, told NAN on Wednesday in Okitipupa that the decision would amount to a great setback for the pupils.
He said that the decision of the government was wise to protect the children but that they could as well issue the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), protocols for pupils and monitor their strict compliance.
The don said the future of the younger generation is very important and must not be jeopardised, adding that education remained the best legacy for them.
“What if the pandemic does not go until next year, does that mean the WASSCE will be postponed for two years?
“Since markets, inter-states movements are opened and politicians are allowed to hold party primaries, the same NCDC protocols of compulsory washing of hands with soaps and water, applying sanitisers, wearing of face masks and social distancing, should be implored with strict compliance and monitoring.
“The future of these children is very important because education remains the best legacy.
“So I am appealing to the Federal Government to rescind its earlier decision and let our children take part in the WASSCE,” he said.
Adegbite, also appealed to the federal government to re-open schools nationwide for students and teachers to resume classes as they were all becoming rusty at home because many could not cope with online lectures.
He also said that many private schools proprietors, teachers and staff members had been locked down economically and financially as they found it difficult to survive since the COVID-19 lockdown persisted.
