It’s unsafe to reopen varsities now, COVID-19 guidelines absent – ASUU


Branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Sunday assessed COVID - 19 protocols in the universities and said the institutions were not ready for safe reopening.
The chapters of the union , in separate interviews with The PUNCH , commented on the directive of the National Universities Commission that universities could resume on January 18 , but must adhere to COVID -19 protocols in hostels and lecture halls .
ASUU said although its members were ready to start work , government had not put measures in place for safe reopening of the schools .
ASUU’ s concern came amid coronavirus cases and deaths, which rose to 99 ,063 and 1 ,350 respectively on Saturday .
The union Chairman at the Obafemi Awolowo University , Osun State, Dr Adeola Egbedokun , in an interview with one of our correspondents , said classroom and hostel situations in universities did not in any way conform with COVID - 19 protocols .
Egbedokun further said no preparations had been made so far for the safe re - opening of the universities and urged parents to insist on safety before re -opening .
No preparation for COVID -19 protocols, insist on safe reopening , OAU ASUU tells parents
He said, “ COVID -19 is very real and this second wave is as real as described . We cannot afford to toy with our health and the health of our dear students in the name of resumption , which is politically motivated .
“ There are no preparations for safe re -opening of the universities and I think parents must insist on safe re - opening . The current classroom and hostel configurations in our universities do not in any way conform with the PTF ( Presidential Task Force ) on COVID -19 protocols . There is no way universities can achieve that . I have said this elsewhere, that rather than for government to have addressed the obvious deficits in the public universities during the lockdown and strike , they were playing to the gallery .”
But the OAU spokesperson , Abiodun Olanrewaju , said the university management was ready for resumption and had put in place “ a lot in relation to the COVID -19 protocols ” in a bid to ensure safety .
Holding physical lectures now will be disastrous , says FUNAAB ASUU
ASUU at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta said the university was not ready to cope with COVID - 19 challenges .
The Chairman of ASUU-FUNAAB , Dr Adebayo Oni , in an interview with one of our correspondents on Sunday , stated , “ The lectures halls are overcrowded . As of today, in my own campus, I have not seen any facility for hand washing Who is to provide sanitisers ? Do you expect lecturers to provide sanitisers for themselves ?

Post a Comment

1 Comments