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The Plateau State Government has clarified that the temporary closure of schools across the state is a precautionary measure aimed at curtailing the spread of diphtheria and protecting pupils and students.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Gloria Samuel Karuri, said the decision followed advice from Governor Caleb Mutfwang, as the government intensifies efforts to monitor and curtail the outbreak.
Prof. Karuri, who spoke in an interview, explained that the directive became necessary as some private schools were scheduled to resume, while public schools are expected to reopen on September 14.
She said the government was yet to establish the extent of the outbreak, making it necessary to temporarily limit contact among pupils and students.
“We are not certain about the extent of the outbreak, so the temporary closure is an effort to curtail the spread of the disease and protect our children,” she said.
The Commissioner urged schools that had already resumed to comply with the directive and allow pupils and students to return home while the government monitors the situation.
“Schools that are already in session should close temporarily and allow the children to return to their parents. We need to observe the situation and monitor the trend. If it stabilises, normal academic activities can resume,” Karuri said.
She stressed that the closure should not be viewed as a suspension of academic activities indefinitely, but as a preventive step to safeguard children while the government assesses the situation.
Karuri also advised parents, pupils, students and school authorities to pay particular attention to hygiene as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
“Hygiene is paramount at this time. It is safer for the children to remain at home, where their exposure to infection is reduced. Schools are larger communities, and if one or two children are infected, the disease can spread quickly among others.”
According to her, returning children to their homes would reduce their exposure to possible infection and give parents greater control over their wellbeing during the period.
The Commissioner therefore appealed to parents and school authorities to cooperate with the directive and ensure that children remain at home until the government is satisfied that it is safe for academic activities to continue.
“We urge everyone to comply with the directive and ensure that the children return home, where their parents can take care of them, while we continue to monitor the situation,” she added.
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