The Lagos State Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), has organised a two-day training programme for its senior OEQA evaluators in preparation for the commencement of school inspection and evaluation exercise, as part of efforts to ensure the safety of public and private schools below tertiary level amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The Director-General, OEQA, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, speaking at the training programme held recently at the Lagos State Education Resource Centre (ERC), Ojodu, stated that the training was a continuation of the Zoom meeting held earlier on safe school reopening for over 400 evaluators, noting that the essence of the training is to help support schools, especially on safe reopening during this pandemic period.

According to her, evaluators are saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that schools continuously sensitise students, teachers and parents on the need to diligently comply with the Federal and the Lagos State COVID-19 stipulated safety protocols during school hours, as well as adhering to the reopening guidelines in and around the school premises.

While revealing that the deadline for the school reopening registration process, which was initially slated to end on the 5th of November has now been postponed to the 23rd of November, 2020, Seriki-Ayeni enjoined all public and private schools in the State to take advantage of the extension and visit the OEQA website: www.oeqalagos.com to register.

One of the facilitators and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), W-Holistic Solutions, Mrs. Olanrewaju Oniyitan, spoke on the evaluation metrics of scoring schools and necessary observations by evaluators before final clearance to reopen is issued, adding that the metrics will help identify if a school is safe to reopen, needs more work or needs a total rework using the submitted school plan.

She advised that schools must continue to adhere strictly to all safety protocols since the Coronavirus pandemic still persists at the community transmission stage, stressing that all hands must be on deck to ensure that Lagos State and the country at large do not experience a spike in the number of cases.