Students in Junior Secondary Schools JSS3 in Ondo State have been asked to resume to their various schools to enable them to prepare for their certification examination.
The Chairman of the State Interministerial Committee on COVID-19 in the state, Prof Adesegun Fatusi, who disclosed this in Akure, while the new approved updated guidelines for COVID-19 prevention in the state, directed the JSS3 students to resume on September 14, 2020.
Fatusi who explained that the new guidelines are borne out of the need for the people of the state to get back to normal life with recommended protocols, to safeguard the lives of the people and their family.
According to him, the guidelines released by the state government stated that the date of resumption for primary schools would be made known at the appropriate time.
He said: “The state is actively monitoring preparations regarding the provision of adequate logistics for COVID-19 prevention for all primary schools, and the announcement regarding the date of resumption will be made at an appropriate date.
“The Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 students will resume according to the following schedule while the date for resumption of other classes shall be announced at an appropriate future date.
“Between September 7th and 13th, preparation by schools to receive students with provisions that meet with the public health guidelines against COVID-19 and monitoring of schools’ preparations by relevant government agencies and teams.
“September 14 to 18 will be for revision for students in schools while examination commences on September 19 till October 4”
Speaking on religious centres, Fatusi said churches and mosques can hold their activities any day of the week, but not between the hours of 10.00 pm and 4.00 am.
He said: “The duration for any indoor religious service must not be more than two hours on any occasion, and all public health guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19 must be strictly adhered to on every occasion;
“Conventions or similar special programmes can hold for only three consecutive days at a time, but not between the hours of 10.00 pm and 4.00 am on any day.
“The maximum duration for such programmes must not exceed three hours on any single occasion, and all public health guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19 must be strictly adhered to on every occasion.
“Permission needs to be sought only in cases where some exceptions to the above-stated provisions are needed. Such applications should be directed to the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health/Ag. Commissioner for Health for written approval.
“Vigils are totally prohibited until further notice while special outdoor religious programmes that may involve the mass gathering of people such as crusades are still prohibited until further notice.”
He said: “Not more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the building of the church, mosque or any other religious body must be filled during any programme; while all participants in any church, mosque or any other religious group’s activities must adhere strictly to the use of face masks.
“They must wash hands under running water or use hands sanitiser before entering the venue of the religious programme and maintain an adequate social distance of at least two metres or six feet.
“All churches, mosques and other religious bodies must have a dedicated enforcement team in place to continuously monitor and ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines throughout each service or programme.”