The Kwara State Government on Monday gave out 65,000 face masks for distribution across schools ahead of Wednesday’s resumption of students preparing for the secondary school certificate examinations.

The face masks are to be distributed to senior secondary class three (exit) students as part the government’s efforts to flatten the curve of COVID-19 transmission in Kwara State.

“On behalf of the Kwara State Government and His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq I present these face masks to the Honourable Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development (Hajia Bisola Ahmed) for onward distribution to our SS3 students as they prepare to resume academic activities. This is just the beginning as they will get more and more of our support,” Kayode Alabi, Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Kwara State Technical Committee on COVID-19, told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital.

“This is the first phase as we are also giving out sanitisers while the ministry of education, working with the committee and stakeholders in the sector, has been mandated to ensure that safety rules are adhered to.”

Ahmed, for her part, said the government is making every effort to adhere strictly to the preventive measures as directed by the Federal Ministry of Education for the safety of our students.

“Our SS3 students will resume this week, precisely on Wednesday. We have 65,000 face masks here which will be distributed to schools across the three senatorial districts of the state. The face masks are now being distributed through the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS). This is the first phase of what will be provided to schools,” she said.

“We have spoken with the principals of the schools and they are ready to support the state government and we assure you that all the preventive measures as directed by the Federal Ministry of Education will be provided as the schools resume.”

She assured Kwarans that the face masks will get to the affected students across the state.

The commissioner said only the SS 3 students are to resume on Wednesday for now, adding that other exit students would be communicated on their date of resumption ahead of their own examinations.

ANCOPSS President in Kwara State Toyin Abdullahi commended the government for the proactive steps, saying they would transmit the materials as directed by the government.

“I want to assure the government that the face masks will be distributed to the SS 3 students while ANCOPSS will complement the efforts of the government to ensure safety in our schools,” he added.

•PHOTO: Kwara State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Technical Committee on COVID-19 Mr Kayode Alabi presenting face masks to the Commissioner for Education Hajia Fatimah Bisola Ahmed for distribution to schools in the state as part of preparations for their resumption, on Monday.

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