LASG To Sanction Schools Defying Closure Directive

The Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), has condemned the action of Private Primary and Secondary School owners inviting students to school, despite the government’s directives to close schools.

A statement issued on Monday, by the Office of the Director-General, OEQA, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, warned owners and administrators of such schools to desist from reopening under whatever guise, noting that any school caught flouting the directive of the Federal and State governments on closure will be heavily sanctioned.

To ensure compliance, she said the Office Monitoring and Investigation team will embark on compliance monitoring exercises across the State to ensure schools adhere strictly to the safety directives issued by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Director-General affirmed that the safety of all children, teachers and the general public is a priority, saying that the government has observed the high compliance of schools except for few that indulge in the illegal opening without concern for the health and safety of their pupils.

While imploring such schools to stop the trend that could jeopardise the health and future of innocent children, Seriki-Ayeni said the general public will be notified when it is right and safe for students to return to school.

She, therefore, solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders in curbing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the State and enjoined anyone with information on such recalcitrant schools to contact the Office through its official emails: info@oeqalagos.com or report@oeqalagos.com.

Recall that the Federal and State Governments ordered the closure of schools across the country to curtail exposure and the spread of Coronavirus disease among students because of their vulnerability and the inability to observe physical distancing.

In a related development, the Lagos State Public Works Corporation unveiled its newly upgraded staff clinic at the Corporation’s Headquarters in Ojodu-Berger, Ikeja, in its bid to provide adequate medical needs for all staff of the Corporation.

The General Manager, LSPWC, Engr. Olufemi Daramola, while unveiling the Clinic thanked the Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for the support in ensuring that the clinic was upgraded to cater to the present day medical needs of employees.

He revealed that Mr. Governor considered and approved the upgrade of the Staff Clinic as a welfare measure for the Corporation to take adequate care of its staff who worked on the roads day and night, including public holidays.

“We thank the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for making the health of workers paramount, hence the upgrade of the clinic. The clinic is a very vital part of our operations because it gives staff members the opportunity to check their health before going to sites and after coming back”, Daramola said.

While noting that the upgraded clinic will ensure that the over 350 project staff of the Corporation get the best basic and emergency medical attention, in case of any occupational hazard encountered during the discharge of their duties, he pointed out that regular blood pressure and sugar level checks will be carried out on the staff to easily mitigate against any adverse effect on their personal health and productivity.

Daramola also noted that since the first index case of the Coronavirus pandemic in Lagos State, the Corporation has always ensured that its workers go through regular checks, stressing that the newly upgraded clinic will improve the capacity to take care of the health needs of staff.

“The Administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has breathed life into Public Works in the last one year with enhanced welfare of all staff, upgrading of construction equipment and general welfare of the workforce. This has assisted the Corporation to focus on the implementation of the Zero Tolerance for Potholes with the rehabilitation of over 260 roads across the State in the last year”, he disclosed.