FG can’t decide for private, state schools to take WASSCE - Minister of state for education
- The federal government has clarified its statement on the decision to stop unity schools from participating in WASSCE
- The minister of state for education said the government can't decide for state and private schools on if they should or shouldn't participate in the exams
- Recall that the federal government said the secondary schools under its control will not be resuming for WAEC exams
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After stopping unity schools from participating in the 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the federal government has said it can't decide for state and private schools on if they should or shouldn't take part in the exams.
Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the minister of state for education made the clarification on Monday, July 13, during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja.
Recall that the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, announced that Nigerian schools under the control of the federal government will not be reopening for the forthcoming WAEC examinations, scheduled to hold from August 5 to September 5, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister also called on the management of WAEC to suspend the exams just as he urged state governments to toe the federal government's line.
Source: UGC
However, Nwajuiba said there was no policy to flip the government’s decision to stop students in unity schools across Nigeria from writing WASSCE.
“However, he (Adamu) said he is not in charge of private schools and schools that fall under the concurrent list and therefore, devolve to sub-nationals who can take a decision as to what will happen to their state-owned schools and whether they can participate or not.
“He does not have control over the governors; it’ll be unconstitutional to say he can tell the governors what to do. It appears to me that they understand the same things we’re doing, but we do not want to impose anything on them,” he said.
This development is coming as private schools across the country have said they are ready to participate in the WASSCE being conducted by WAEC despite the stance of the federal government that no Nigerian school would participate in the exams.
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) appealed to the federal government to reconsider its position on WASSCE.
NAPPS president, Yomi Otubela, said the association on Tuesday, July 14, would make a formal appeal to the government to change its stance on the issue.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the announcement by the federal government that unity schools will not be participating in the forthcoming WASSCE has left the school principals' association, ANCOPSS, confused.
Anselm Izuagie who is the national president of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools said the federal government's latest position contradicts the decision taken earlier at a stakeholders' meeting held on Tuesday, July 7.
COVID-19: Parents speak on allowing their children return to school | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
