The Federal Government has denied reports making the rounds that it has directed the reopening of schools in the country.
In a statement on Sunday, the Federal Ministry of Education’s Director of Press, Ben Goong, urged students and parents to disregard the fake news.
He said the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, has not given such directive, adding that it will be unwise to open schools during this period amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Goong urged all Nigerians to continue to follow the Federal Government’s directives and measures put in place to tackle the dreaded infection.
He also refuted stories that the federal government has blamed the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on vice-chancellors.
He said, “On the issue of reopening of schools, the ministry has not directed the reopening of any school at any level. The purported press release by the minister to that effect is a clear forgery as it did not emanate from the minister.
“Parents, students and the general public are advised to please disregard the fake release. There is also another story making the rounds that the Federal Government has blamed the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities on vice-chancellors. At no time did any Federal Government official make that kind of statement.
“Any insinuation in that direction is simply emanating from the fertile imagination of the author and that the ministry has nothing whatsoever to do with it. Stakeholders and indeed the general public should disregard such statements. Stay at home, stay safe. Let’s work from home like I’m doing. Only the living can work or worship.”
