The Federal Government on Monday unfolded plans to decontaminate schools across the country before they reopen for operation.
The decontamination would focus on the school environments, hostels and other places.
President Muhammadu Buhari during his last broadcast had said that from May 4, there would be a phased easing of the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and FCT including 8p.m to 6a.m daily curfew.
The easing of the lockdown, however, did not include the reopening of schools, places of worship and other places with the likelihood of uncontrolled population.
Pending the reopening of schools, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 urged the schools to continue e-learning and virtual teaching till further review.
Speaking in Abuja during the daily briefing by members of the PTF on COVID-19, the Minister of Environment, Muhammad Abubakar, said his ministry would work with the ministry of education to get data of schools to ease the process of the decontamination.
He said: “We are initiating a programme of decontaminating and disinfecting our schools before they open because subsequently in the phases, I believe we will get to that point where we will starting opening schools.
”We will be liaising with the federal ministry of education to make sure that we have the needed data to map out the decontamination exercise. We will focus on their school environment and hostels.”
The minister also hinted that public spaces and offices in Ogun, Lagos and FCT were decontaminated before they were reopened on yesterday for business.
He said: “We decontaminated streets both commercial and residential areas, motor parks, train stations and all that. They have been decontaminated and disinfected. This is something that is standard as seen in other developed countries and we are doing the same thing here.”

By Faith Yahaya