As a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many activities were put on hold, including schools in Nigeria. Students have not been able to go to school and online education isn’t available for all Nigerian students so it has been difficult for many students and also parents to follow-through. With the decision to re-open schools, both the government and the school need to ensure that certain measures are put in place to effectively contain the virus and prevent further spread of it. 

The National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) thereby recommends that schools and other learning institutions should take the following measures: 

• Ensure that students and staff wash their hands often; it is advised that the teachers supervise younger children. 
• Ensure that an alcohol-based sanitizer is made available at all entrances to the school. 
• Students and teachers should wear face masks and cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. 
• Any used tissue should be thrown away into a closed bin and wash your hands after. 
• Always sneeze into your flexed (bent) elbow. A demonstration should also be done on how students should sneeze into their elbow. 
• Students or teachers who feel unwell should stay at home and should not attend school or any educational or public setting. 
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands 
• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell 
• Schools should clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces 
• Limit the number of visitors to your school; parents, care-givers and drivers should drop students off at the school entrance

Students, staff and visitors should wash their hands:

• Before leaving home
• On arrival at school
• After using the toilet 
• After breaks and sporting activities 
• Before preparing food 
• Before eating any food, including snacks
• Before leaving school 

If for any reason students within the school premises become unwell or show symptoms of the virus, call NCDC and self isolate for the next fourteen days. This will help protect the school.

Furthermore, if a staff or student becomes unwell and they have a travel history to a country with confirmed or ongoing community transmission of COVID-19, the individual should be kept in a room on his/her own, and NCDC notified. Whilst he/she waits for advice from NCDC, ensure the student or staff member is isolated in a separate room, behind shut doors, reducing contact with other people. If they need to go to the bathroom whilst waiting for medical assistance, they should use a separate bathroom if available.  

Lastly, when students or staff are verified to have made contact with a confirmed case of COVID 19 in a school, NCDC will provide further advice and will work with the Headteacher, Principal and or Proprietor for further guidance. Outside those that are defined as close contacts, the rest of the school does not need to take any precautions, apart from basic hand and respiratory hygiene practices. No further changes to activities linked with attending school or work as usual, unless they become unwell, will be necessary. 

It is essential schools make available every material needed such as water, sanitizer, tissue, proper clinic to maintain the above listed precautionary measures. Also to mitigate the risks they must put in place these measures before announcing the reopening of schools.

While awaiting the instruction by the Federal Government for the resumption of schools, Noble Hall Leadership Academy for Girls will start its 2020/2021 Academic session on the 14th September 2020, with virtual classes.