By Aiyeku Timothy
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has asked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) not to stop the resumption of academic activities despite the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
NANS President, Sunday Asefon, in a statement on Tuesday, said a Taskforce would be setup on COVID-19 in universities across the country.
Asefon said government should address the issue of the resurgence in COVID-19, rather than stop the resumption of schools.
He urged the federal government to rethink its strategy on how to curb COVID-19.
According to Asefon: “Rather than postpone schools’ resumption, it has become imperative to address the alarming spread of COVID-19 and rising cases of deaths from a position of environmental strategy and human coordination since the lockdown mechanism can no longer be a mitigating option in the face of our economic reality.
“Consequently, the National Association of Nigerian Students is undertaking to prevail on students union bodies to set up Students Task Force Against COVID-19 in every school, while asking the Federal Government to rejig its basic COVID guidelines for schools resumption.”
Meanwhile, the NUC has asked Universities to resume on January 18 but there have been doubts raised by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, owing to the surge of virus.
On their part, the most Vice-Chancellors have expressed readiness to resume as directed by the NUC with announcements made on resumption dates but ASUU are insisting that it is unsafe to return to lecture halls when COVID-19 protocols in hostels and lecture halls have not been put in place.
