The government of Ogun state had rescinded her earlier decision of the N25,000 payment for COVID-19 test by private school boarding students that was initially announced. Recall that academic activities had been interrupted nationwide due to the outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic. So in preparation for West African Senior School Certificate Examination, Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS 3) students resumed on the 4th of August. The decision was made so that the students will be adequately prepared for the examination, as the exam is fast approaching. The date for the commencement of the exam is 17th August.
The government of Ogun State mandated that the S.S.S 3 students must be tested for COVID-19 and Malaria before they resume. This is the prerequisite for resumption which every returning boarding student must meet up with. Meanwhile, Ronke Soyombo, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Primary and Secondary education, noted that the ministry of health has made provision for a COVID-19 and MALARIA TESTS for all S.S.S 3 returning boarding students in the State; as part of the conditions for the reopening of schools in some Public Health Care facilities between Friday 31st July & Monday 3rd August, 2020. Ogun State General Hospital, Ota, the 250 MTR Okemosan, Abeokuta, and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu are part of the facilities.
She also added that the COVID-19 certificate showing ‘Negative’ is part of the very important conditions for allowing the boarding students into the school. The Principals are directed to disseminate the above important information to all S.S.S 3 students in the State immediately. They are to also ensure that the above instructions are strictly obeyed as any defaulting school will be sanctioned.
On getting to the testing centre, the students of private schools claimed to have been denied the test because the parents did not pay for the test. However, the parents of students protested against the request of N25,000 COVID-19 test fee by the government. Some of the parents that demonstrated on the streets, criticized the decision of the government to ask them to pay N25,000 on each student before their admittance into the school.
Some lamented that the decision is not good enough as some parents even have more than one child in the category of the students who are to resume.They complained that the economic situation in the country has made it difficult to pay such an amount of money. A member of the Parent Teachers Association (P.T.A) spoke against the allegation of discrimination against the private school students.
Reacting to the protest, the state government insisted that the parents will need to pay the levy and get a certificate to show that their children are COVID-19 negative before they could resume school. The Special Adviser to the governor on primary and secondary education had earlier explained that the state government will be responsible for the test of the S.S.S 3 boarding students from state-owned public schools while the private school authorities should make sure their students have tested negative before admitting them into their boarding facilities.
The government also stated that, in the bid to assist the private schools, the State Government has negotiated a huge discount in the cost of COVID-19 Test with some health facilities. Notwithstanding, private school owners and parents are free to engage any other healthcare service provider they desire but the service provider must be certified by NCDC as COVID-19 Test service provider. Also, the test must have been performed within 72 hours of the date of resumption.
The latest development however is that, on Monday, 3rd August the state government had cancelled the proposed 25,000 payment for COVID-19 test for final year secondary school students. The government also said the test will no longer be compulsory for the J.S.S 3 students. The Governor, Dapo Abiodun made this known following the protest by parents against the introduction of the policy.
The Governor also said, only the S.S.S 3 students are to resume on 4th August 2020 having put in place guidelines to ensure that the students resume in safe environment. He also apologised to parents and students for the inconvenience and confusion. However, he explained that, the test an certificate presentation policy put in place with the assistance of medical experts, was not intended to ill treat anyone but rather to make everyone including the parents, teachers and students confident that, they are safe knowing that everyone admitted into the boarding facilities have tested negative.
Since the facilities available cannot test the number of students who will write the exam both in public and private schools before the commencement of the exam; the school authority and Parents Teacher Association (P.T.A) are thereby encouraged to exercise there duty care to the students. While, the students with underlining health conditions can attend school from home. It is therefore important to make it clear that test is now free for both public and private school students. The government have also made available face mask for both public and private school students. The governor also made clear that the quality and standard education and well being of the students are dear to his heart.
