By CHIMEZIE ENYIOCHA

The Kaduna State Ministry of Education has shut down all public schools across the 23 Local Government Area of the state due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commissioner of Education Shehu Makarfi who disclosed in a statement issued on Monday said the directive takes effect from Wednesday, December 16, 2020.

He said the ministry decided to shut down the schools due to the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in the state which show a replicate of figures recorded in the first wave of the pandemic in April, May and June 2020.

Makarfi explained that a new wave of the infection is rapidly spreading across the state, and cut across age groups of between 10 and 35 years.

The commissioner, who noted that the figure forms a majority of the populace in the education sector, stressed that physical classes in the universities and other institutions of higher learning in the state will not be held during the period of closure.

While directing that all examinations must be concluded on or before December 15 in all institutions of learning across the state asked higher Institutions to make other arrangements for teaching and learning activities in line with their continuity and contingency plans.

To minimise the impact on teaching and learning, Makarfi added that all schools will continue to plan lessons and where possible, provide online resources for students or online lessons where schools are equipped to do so.

He said learners in the basic, post-basic and secondary school levels can continue learning while at home from the Kaduna State TV and Radio e-Learning Programmes. (Channels TV)