Schools Reopening: NAPPS moves to cover grounds lost to COVID-19

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Lagos Chapter, has assured that it would bridge the academic gap created by COVID-19 pandemic during the year.

Dr Tolu Sodimu, the Auditor-General of the Association, gave the assurance in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a workshop organised for the school proprietors on Thursday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the training tagged, ‘School Reopening Training for School Proprietors’ was organised to sensitise school owners on safety measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Sodimu, also the Proprietress of Hope Springs International School, Lagos, assured that the pupils would take their  promotion examinations to adequately assess their level of preparedness to proceed to the next grades.

“Not all students were able to join the online classes during the lockdown.

“So when we resume, the first four weeks will be used to complete the third term scheme of work that we lost due to the COVID-19.

“After that, we will have exams before we go into the new session,” Sodimu told NAN.

Also, Mrs Ajoke Adeyemi, Chairman of NAPPS, Amuwo Odofin Chapter, said failure to teach students the third term scheme of the last academic year will create “a missing link”.

Adeyemi, also Proprietress of Foresight Schools, added that examinations would be administered to assess the pupils after covering topics from third term in the first four weeks.

Adeyemi said: “We cannot just promote children without assessing them.

“The issue with scheme of work is that it’s like a foundation that you’re building. Once you miss one of the layers, then the whole thing will crash.

“Assuming you’ve taught a child ‘Tens and Units’ in second term, in third term you’re supposed to teach ‘Hundred, Tens and Units.’

“If you leave it and go to ‘Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Unit,’ there’s already a gap. That ‘Hundreds, Tens and Unit’ missed will still cause trouble for that child.”

Adeyemi  appealed to parents and guardians to cooperate with school authorities by ensuring that their wards comply with guidelines against the spread of COVID-19. (NAN)