The Lagos State House of Assembly has directed its Committee on Education to visit public and private schools to determine their compliance with COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Federal Government.
According to the House, the visit is necessary following the commencement of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Monday.
The House’s resolution followed a Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Mr Yinka Ogundimu, during plenary on Monday in Lagos.
Ogundimu, while speaking on the need for the House to visit the schools in the state, explained that the state Ministry of Education had informed the committee that WAEC and schools had put in place necessary guidelines.
He noted that there was the need for the state to comply with the directives of the Federal Government on the resumption of students.
He said that the staggering number of schools, including the number of teachers and students, required that the state legislators to monitor the ongoing WASSCE.
Contributing, the House Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, suggested that the lawmakers should visit schools in their various constituencies while the education committee should do a random visit to the schools in the state.
“The proposal of the committee is very good and we recognise that schools cannot close indefinitely.
“Lawmakers can visit the schools within their constituencies. Human beings are funny, schools might comply with the rules when they resume and relax later,” he said.
Also, Fatai Mojeed, representing Ibeju-Lekki Constituency II, said the committee should extend its visit to private schools within the state to ensure their compliance with the guidelines.
On his part, Hon. Hakeem Sokunle, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency I, said it was important for the students to maintain physical distancing and follow other COVID-19 procedures.
Sokunle, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, suggested that the oversight function should involve the Health Committee.
He added that the report gathered before the resumption was that necessary facilities had been put in place.
The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, who also supported the motion, said that schools in the state should be able to maintain physical distancing since other classes were yet to resume.
The speaker said that lawmakers should visit the schools within their constituencies during the ongoing examination.
The House, in its resolution, also called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, to conduct tests on the students to affirm their status.
Meanwhile, the House observed a minute silence to honour Lanre Razak, the late member of the state Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who died on Saturday.
Obasa, therefore, directed four members of the House, Fatai Mojeed, Abiodun Tobun, Raheem Kazeem, to be led by the Deputy Majority Leader, Noheem Adams, to pay a condolence visit to the family of the deceasednan.
