Coronavirus: Nigerian govt orders closure of schools nationwide

The Federal Ministry of Education is closing all tertiary, secondary and primary schools nationwide over the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.

The ministry said it is part of measures to contain the spread of the virus.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sunny Echono, confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES Thursday night. He did not, however, clarify whether schools were closing Thursday or Friday or next week.

When asked for dates and the duration of the closure, Mr Echono said details would be sent out on Friday.

”We will send a press release out tomorrow, thank you,” he said.

The ministry is also ordering the closure of all the 104 Unity Schools in the country from March 26 as a proactive step to prevent the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.

Scourge

Coronavirus cases have been recorded in about 140 countries and more than 200, 000 persons have been infected, with thousands dead.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on March 11, 2020, declared Covid-19 a pandemic and since then, the spread has worsened and more deaths have occurred.

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The spread of the disease has also led to countries locking in millions of their citizens, closing social spaces, locking down entire regions and shutting their doors against travellers from other countries.