A Call On Fg To Reconsider Its Stand On Examinations And Resumption Of Schools.

(Being the text of a press release issued at Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on Friday, 9th July, 2020 by the National Coordinator of Nigeria Parents Forum, Mr. Monday Eze)

1. Nigeria Parents Forum, NPF, an association of Nigerian parents concerned about positive parenting with the hope of raising responsible children who will serve as leaders of tommorow, have received the news of the Federal Government decision to cancel the West African Senior Secondary Examination and other school examinations for 2020; and to lock down schools in Nigeria because of the Covid-19 pandemic for a full session with great shock.

2. That this unprecedented decision was taken by the Federal Government without proper consultations with parents, students and other critical stakeholders in the education sector like State Governments, Teachers and private school proprietors speaks much about the arbitrariness and ineptitude of the drivers or the managers of Nigerian Education System. Nigerian Parents Forum hereby registers her protest and displeasure over that wrong decision of the Federal Government.

3. As responsible parents we want to state that this laid-back approach to the management of a sensitive sector like the education system is not good for the country and for posterity as it amounts to playing with the future of our children. This is true as the Corona virus pandemic has no timeline and may not likely end after a session after all.

4. Nigerian Parents Forum appreciates and supports the position of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services headed by Hon. Julius Ihonvbere asking the Federal Government to reverse the wrong decision. Furthermore, Nigerian Parents Forum hereby urges the Minister for Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to convoke a consultative meeting of all the critical stakeholders in the education sector to aggregate suggestions on how to develop a realistic Covid-19 Response Protocol for the education sector to enable schools resume in the no distant time.

5. Nigerian Parents Forum pledges her loyalty to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

SIGNED:
Mr. Monday Eze.
(National Coordinator, Nigeria Parents Forum)