The Niger State government has directed its public schools to reopen on Monday (today).
Schools have remained closed for almost two months due to repeated bandits attacks and abduction of students.
The Commissioner for Education, Hannatu Salihu, said in a statement that schools with day students will resume on March 29, while boarding secondary schools in urban areas will reopen on April 6.
The Eagle Online recalls that 27 students were abducted from the Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State on February 10.
They were released on February 27.
Initially, following the attack on the Kagara school, government directed the immediate closure of boarding schools in four local governments.
The closure was later extended to all secondary schools in the state.
This, it said, was to enable security agencies to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of the schools.
The statement by Salihu reads: “All public day secondary schools are to reopen on Monday, March 29, 2021. All boarding secondary schools in urban areas are to reopen on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
“Low risk boarding secondary schools in rural areas that are to run as day schools during the period are also to reopen on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
“Public day secondary schools in areas of high risk that would run in clusters with selected safe schools in nearby communities would reopen on a later date to be announced after adequate arrangements are concluded.
“Students from other communities in the boarding schools that would operate as day schools during the period would be moved to other boarding/day secondary schools in their localities.”
The Commissioner said principals have been provided with specific details in respect of the arrangement and are therefore expected to work under and in collaboration with their zonal directors to ensure compliance in the light of the demands of current security realities.
Salihu said all schools, especially those at high risk, would be provided with adequate security meant to enhance the capacity of the school system and security personnel to respond to threats.
