The Federal Government on Wednesday said that the West African Examination Council, WAEC was consulting with different countries on the possibility of shifting this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

The Federal Government has also insisted that its decision not to reopen schools and not to participate in final examinations for secondary school students remains intact.

This is as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, has announced the approval of N136 million for the Procurement of theatre seats and computers for University of Benin.

Recall that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, had last week stated that Nigerian schools would remain shut and final year secondary school students would not write the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) expected to start August 5 to September 5, until the Ministry considered it safe for such to happen.

Mallam Adamu said reopening of schools and allowing academic activities, including writing examinations, to resume was too risky, considering the rising spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in the country.

But the decision had been received with mixed reactions, mostly a huge outcry from a section of the population, including the National Assembly, and private school owners which had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Ministry to rescind its position.

Briefing State House correspondents after the eight virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa Abuja, the Minister of State, Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said the position of the Ministry remained as earlier spelt out by Mallam Adamu last week.

He, however, pointed out that the Ministry was still consulting with stakeholders in the education sector on the best way to follow, adding that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) had also started consultations with West African states on a possibility of shifting dates.

According to him, “We are still meeting with parents over the decision of the Ministry. What the Minister said reflects the true position of the Ministry; we are not confident yet that everywhere is safe, the numbers from the NCDC are still alarming and we have put this before parents and all the stakeholders in the the Education ecosystem, we are still meeting with them. In fact, there’s a stakeholders’ meeting slated for Monday.

“WAEC on its own part is also negotiating with other West African countries to look at possible shift in date. Once they are through with that meeting and hopefully when we are through with the consultation with stakeholders, if there’s any change in the Ministry’s position, we will communicate.

“But as it stands, the position of the Honourable Minister, as communicated to you last week, remains the position of the Ministry until further evidence to the contrary or further agreements that may alter those arise.”

He also said FEC approved a memorandum presented by his Ministry for a contract worth N136 million, for the procurement of computers and seats for theatres in auditoriums at the University of Benin.

He said the contract would be funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

He also said FEC approved a memorandum presented by his Ministry for a contract worth N136 million, for the procurement of computers and seats for theatres in auditoriums at the University of Benin. He said the contract would be funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

He said: “We submitted a memo on behalf of the University of Benin, for the procurement and installation of theatre seats and computers for work in the auditorium of the University of Benin.”

“The project is being funded by the 2019 Tertiary Education funds allocated to the school in the sum of N136 million and the contract was approved by FEC as proposed by the University of Benin and they will now proceed with the procurement.”

Also briefing, the Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood, said the council approved Solid Waste Management Policy.

“It is to provide a framework for a comprehensive integrated solid waste management in which the federal, state and local governments, MDAs, institutions, NGOs will all be part of it. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Vanguard)

Update news