By CHUKWUEMEKA OPARA

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has said that COVID-19 will help in checking ‘giraffing’ among students during examinations.

Giraffing, a malpractice, is used to describe the practice of peeping and copying from the scripts of other candidates in an examination environment.

Umahi made the declaration on Saturday in Abakaliki during a training organised for teachers and health workers who would be involved in the forthcoming West African School Certificate (WASC), examinations for students in the Junior and Senior Secondary 3 classes.

The governor said that observance of the pandemic’s preventive protocol of social distancing would ensure that students sat apart during the examinations.

“This is a good side of the pandemic and it will ensure that ‘giraffing’ will no longer work.

“The problem with COVID–19 is that it is not all about the individual but his or her family and friends.

“When we don’t totally observe the protocols, God forbid, the disease will be transmitted from teacher to student, from student to other students and unto parents among others,” he said.

Umahi directed that locations should be earmarked for hand washing in all the schools as students were expected to wash their hands before entering their classes.

“They should sanitise their hands with sanitisers, have their temperature checked and those with high temperature should be taken for tests.

“The positive cases will be treated immediately and they will rejoin their mates.

“The relevant authorities should ensure that teachers and students wear face masks before they enter the schools as they should adopt no face mask, no entrance policy,” he said.

He noted that the state government would provide preventive items to the students, teachers and health workers who would be involved in the examinations.

“The 38,000 students will receive four nose masks each, the 4,000 teachers get 75,000 face masks while the 500 health workers will receive over 1,000 face masks.

“The students, teachers and health workers will also receive sanitisers and liquid soaps freely while parents are mandated to provide water bottles for every student,” he said.

Dr Onyebuchi Chima, State Commissioner for Education said that there would be no morning assemblies in the schools while break periods would be suspended.

“Teachers should ensure that all COVID 19 protocols are observed to ensure that the students take their examinations safely,” he said.

Dr Daniel Umezurike, Commissioner for Health, said that the state presently had 908 confirmed cases of the disease with 33 deaths, 835 discharged and 40 active cases.

Mrs Betty Anyigor, a Participant at the training, said that she would properly educate students on the COVID-19 protocols to check the disease’s spread during the examination. (NAN)

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