The founder , Afe Babalola University , Ado Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola , has advised the Federal Government against waiting till all towns and villages in the country are free from COVID – 19 before reopening schools .
Babalola , who said “ only the Almighty God Himself can determine when the current coronavirus pandemic will be eradicated globally , ” added that “ the daily increase in the number of patients does not suggest that COVID – 19 will soon come to an end ” .
The ABUAD founder , who , in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said schools nationwide were “ hurriedly ” closed down by government fiat on March 23 when some pupils and students were either writing examinations or embarking on final- year examinations , offered advice on how the Federal Government could reopen the schools and universities within four weeks in phases .
Babalola listed the conditions under which “ private institutions should be allowed to resume academic activities within four weeks ” .
These , he said , included that “ the school must establish that it has residential accommodation for all students including most , if not all the staff .
“ Parents shall give written undertakings supported with medical certificates that the student is fit / healthy to resume academic work .
“ There shall be about three running water tanks at the gate where students will wash their hands with soap. There shall be portable sanitisers . Each student must be armed with the portable sanitiser . There shall be infrared thermometers at the gate where students , staff and anybody coming into the university shall be tested by a nurse or medical personnel .
“ The university must have in place the following testing machines : Polymerase Chain Reaction ( PCR Machine ) and Serological Test Machine .
“ Each school must have in place a building specially designed to accommodate any student who is suspected to have any type of infectious disease ranging from cough , chickenpox , measles , diarrhea etc other than COVID – 19 . ”
He added that each university must have two functional fumigation machines and “ ensure all hostels, classrooms , cafeteria , conference halls , and sports facilities shall be fumigated before resumption ” .
Babalola also advised that the schools must have testing kits as “ the students must undergo test fortnightly in addition to the provision for face masks which shall be used by students and staff in classrooms , conference halls and everywhere on the campus” .
He also advised staggered resumption , saying , the final- year students forced to go home while preparing for their final examination should resume first , take their examination and vacate the university within two to three weeks . Thereafter , the next level of students that will resume shall be new students who will undergo the same set of tests like those of final year students ” .
According to the ABUAD founder , the prescriptions for private universities shall also apply to public universities with some variations .
