The Kaduna State Government has approved February 22 as the second phase resumption date for the remaining classes in public and private primary and secondary schools across the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Shehu Muhammad, stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government had reopened Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1), JSS 3, Senior Secondary School 3 (SS 3), and primary four, five and six in private schools were opened.

All other public secondary , primary and nursery schools were ordered to remain closed.

He identified the remaining classes as SS 2, SS 1 and JSS 2 in public and private secondary schools; primary four, five and six in public primary schools.

The reopened classes in the schools were directed to run academic activities on shift basis to ensure compliance with COVID-19 guidelines with the first shift running from 08:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon while the second shift will be from 01:00 p.m. to 05:00 p.m.

Mr. Muhammad said that after a thorough review of adherence to COVID-19 protocols in schools, the government has directed that all the remaining classes in public and private schools to reopen for full academic activities.

He added that the schools would continue to run shifts to enable them sustain the COVID-19 guidelines and abide by the simple preventive measures put in place.

According to him, others are primary three, two, one and nursery classes in private schools, as well as Islamiyah schools.

“In view of this, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education is directing all principals and headteachers to make arrangements to receive boarding and day students of the remaining classes on February 22.

“The State COVID-19 task force will continue monitoring all schools to ensure that safe learning environments against the pandemic are strictly adhered to and maintained,” he said.

The commissioner urged the school administrators of public and private schools to continue implementing the blended e-learning and physical learning system.

He assured the public of the ministry’s commitment to continue the e-learning programme using Google classroom, radio and television stations and other online platforms.

(NAN)