Following the commencement of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the Lagos State Assembly has directed its committee on Education and members to embark on facility tour of both public and private schools to affirm strict compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.
The House also called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the State to direct the Commissioner For Health, Professor Akin Abayomi to conduct test on the students to affirm their status.
Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Mr. Yinka Ogundimu, representing Agege 2, who raised the issue under matter of urgent public importance, told the House why it was pertinent to visit the schools.
According to him, “the Ministry came back to tell us that the schools have put in place necessary guidelines. The State have to comply with the directives of the Federal Government on the resumption of students.”
Mr. Ogundimu said that the number of teachers and students involved in the conduct of the examination were many and therefore, the need to monitor the examination for COVID-19 compliance.
The Speaker of the House, Chief Mudashiru Obasa who supported the proposal, said that the schools in the State should be able to maintain physical distancing since other students were yet to resume.
He said that lawmakers should visit the schools within their constituencies during the ongoing examination.
In his submission, Mr. Fatai Mojeed, representing Ibeju-Lekki 1 said that the committee should extend the visit to private schools in the state.
In the same vein, the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Sanai Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu 1, proposed that lawmakers should visit schools in their various constituencies while the education committee could 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.
Mr. Hakeem Sokunle, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 1, while speaking on the matter, said that it was pertinent for the students to maintain physical distancing and follow other COVID-19 procedures.
Meanwhile, the House observed a minute silence in honour of the late Alhaji Lanre Razak.
Alhaji Razak, a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) from Epe Division of the State, died on Saturday 15th August after a brief illness.
The Speaker then directed four lawmakers, including Mr. Fatai Mojeed, Mr. Abiodun Tobun, Mr. Raheem Kazeem, to be led by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Noheem Adams to pay a condolence visit to the family of the deceased on behalf of the House.
Yemisi Oreoluwa
