The Bayelsa State Government says it is taking steps to ensure that schools were safe to allow final year students to resume and take their external examinations as directed by the Federal Government.

The state government has scheduled a COVID-19 prevention training programme for private and public schools representatives for today aimed at ensuring safety protocols were complied with when schools resume on August 5.

During a radio programme monitored in Yenagoa at the weekend, the Permanent Secretaries for the Ministries of Information and Education, Mr. Freston Akpor and Mr. Walter Liverpool respectively, gave the assurance that the state government was doing its best to protect students and teachers.

They said that government was already fumigating schools across the state as well as providing hand washing facilities and urged parents and communities to compliment the efforts of the government.

Akpor, who is a member of the Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force, said that Gov Douye Diri, who chairs the Task Force, has approved the deployment of health professionals to schools while temporary isolation facilities would be put in place in schools.

“The government of Bayelsa has been working to get our schools ready and safe for our children and that is why we have scheduled a train the trainers programme to acquaint schools with COVID-19 safety protocols.

“The essence is to build capacity of our people and update them with the guidelines from the Federal government on the reopening of schools, that is why we are taking our time and shifted the resumption for final year students to Wednesday Aug. 5.

“Government is providing facemasks, infrared thermometers and access to water and for schools without water supply, alternative arrangements are in place and we are poised to check the spread of the corona virus.

“In view of the questionable and low quality of hand sanitizers we are emphasizing frequent hand washing with soap and water and we appeal to members of the public as well as parents and guardians to compliment the efforts government is making.

“Parents should for example provide additional facemasks for their wards so that for instance when they wash the ones provided in schools, they can have a spare one to use while waiting for one to dry,” Akpor said.