Covid-19: Proprietors back schools’ closure, demand CBN loan
By Damilola Kushimo
The Chairperson of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Oshodi-Isolo Chapter, Mrs. Chioma Mba-Okoroafor has supported government’s decision on the continuous closure of schools but appealed for quick disbursement of loan for businesses by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to arrest the financial setback the pandemic has brought on their business.
After eleven weeks that schools in Lagos State have been on lockdown following the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to shut down public places in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, many proprietors have been agitating for re-opening of schools.
However, Mba-Okoroafor believed that the continuous lockdown especially on schools remains the ideal decision as far as the safety of school children is concerned.
She said: “Yes, it is ideal if really there is COVID-19. How do we space the children if we are to strictly observe social distancing. Let’s assume we have 20 pupils in a classroom and we are to observe social distancing, that means we are expected to have five pupils in a classroom. Where do we get classrooms to fix the other 15 children, bearing in mind that we have other classes of pupils? How do you prevent the children from mixing with one another, to stay away from one another? It is best we keep them safe at home till we are sure that COVID-19 has been conquered.”
She, however, explained that members of the association have to deal with overwhelming financial discomfort following the unprecedented shutdown of their business especially as it concerns payment of workforce.
“A sizeable number of schools in the local government area have duly applied for the CBN loan and we earnestly look forward to its disbursement to us by the CBN because our staffs are there looking up to us.
“We are private institutions and the manner at which this lockdown has brought about setback especially on our finances is baffling but, we are sincerely hoping that the federal government keeps its words on the loan so that we can pay some incurred debts.”
She revealed that some schools under the association who were initially running the online teaching for free have started charging for the online classes in order to cater for the salaries of their staffs.
When asked about the effectiveness of the online teaching so far, she explained that digital divide in some communities has been a limiting factor as she supported the idea of learning handicraft by the children with strict adherence to all precautions against the virus in order not to remain idle.
“I won’t say parents have been very responsive as regards payment for the online teaching because they themselves have little to take care of their family. Everybody is thinking on how to take care of their family so, when you tell them to pay, they complain about the current economic situation.
“It is not really encouraging, some of us are doing it free while some others charge little amount,” she said.
She however urged the government to explore all possibilities to proffer a lasting solution to the virus in order to get the economy back to normal, emphasising that the culture of hand washing and adherence to other personal hygiene should be sustained during the post Coronacirus period.
