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Ogun clears air on COVID-19 test for exit students

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Nigeria COVID-19



The Ogun State Government has clarified its position on the imposition of N25,000 COVID-19 test fee on exit class students in private secondary schools in the state, hours after parents protested the decision.

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, said the government is expected to bear the full costs of the COVID-19 tests for the students of government-owned schools while parents and owners of private schools are expected to do the same for their students.

She insisted that the presentation of a COVID-19 free certificate by the students will form a major prerequisite for allowing them into boarding schools across the state, as the schools reopened on Monday.

Soyombo said the clarification became necessary to remind the general public, particularly parents and operators in the education sector, of the government’s position on the protest, staged by the parents.

“This is part of the measures being put in place to avoid community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic amongst our children in the boarding facilities and invariably, the state as a whole.

“A key additional requirement is the presentation of a certificate of negative COVID-19 test before a student is admitted to the boarding facility in both public and private schools in the state.”

“All private school owners are also expected to ensure that all their boarding students are certified COVID-19 test negative before being admitted into their boarding facilities.

“To further assist the private schools, Ogun State Government has negotiated a huge discount in the cost of COVID-19 Test with some healthcare service providers,” Soyombo said.

She noted that private school owners and parents are free to engage any other service provider of their choice as long as it is certified by the NCDC as an accredited COVID-19 Test centre.

“Indeed, certificate of negative COVID-19 test from other locations across the country will be tenably provided, as usual, it is from an NCDC certified centre and the test has been performed within 72 hours of the date of resumption.”

“Should any private school owner and parents desire a waiver of COVID-19 test requirement for boarding students, a joint representation of the school owner and the parents should be made to the government and this shall be considered on a case-by-case basis,” she said.

Speaking further, Soyombo said only boarding facilities directly operated by schools will be allowed to operate to enable the government to properly monitor their compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

She, however, enjoined parents and school owners to work together to ensure that the health and safety of the students are given priority.

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