Ebola: Nigeria's Teachers Union Reject September 22 Resumption Date For Schools

… As UNICEF Trains 5000 Teachers In Port Harcourt On Ebola Prevention/ Control

SAN FRANCISCO, September 16, (THEWILL) - Nigeria's main teachers union, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has rejected the September 22, 2014 resumption date for public and private schools and directed its members nationwide to stay away from schools until the government puts in place key measures to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

In a Press briefing in Abuja Tuesday, the National President of the union, Dr. Michael Alogba Olukoya disclosed that teachers in many states have remained untrained on preventive methods against the disease while government has also not provided tools like thermometers, sanitizers, water, gloves and other preventive/protective gear to help protect schools from the disease.

Nigeria has so far successfully contained and eradicated the disease from the country since Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian/American man brought it to Nigeria before dying.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Tuesday said it had trained over 5,000 teachers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on how to save lives, contain the Ebola Virus Disease and avoid stigmatization

A statement by the agency's Communication Specialist (Media and External Relations), Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, said the training, which took place on September 15, was informed by preparations for the commencement of the 2014/15 academic year.