Anambra government to introduce coronavirus education into school curriculum 

As part of efforts to fight the Coronavirus pandemic to a standstill, the Anambra State Government has announced its intention to include COVID-19 education as a subject in school curriculum.

The state commissioner for Basic Education Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha who disclosed this to newsmen at the secretariat complex Awka said that the strategy was meant to instill the culture and practice of simple personal hygiene in primary and secondary school pupils as well as educate them on the covid19 prevention protocols.

Omenugha opined that the strategy became pertinent, especially as the government was working assiduously to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the state.

The commissioner also disclosed that the government would expand as well as repackage its ongoing On-Air-Learning Programme to meet the special needs of over 500 pupils living with hearing impairment, stressing that the government would introduce the Sign Languages and other means to carry deaf students along in the On-Air-Learning Programme.

She said, ”what we are doing now is to get prepared to welcome the students.The teachers are back and they are trying to get the schools tidied up; fixing information materials on hand-washing and others on the walls of the classrooms.

”We will also domisticate covid19 education by introducing it into the school curriculum so that people doing history can talk about the history of fluids all over the world; those in biology can talk about personal hygiene and so on.

”So we are trying to see what we can put into the curriculum in relation to covid19. We are also decongesting the classrooms to make sure there is enough space for pupils to maintain physical distancing.” Omenugha stated.

The commissioner however pointed out that the state government was currently on standby to welcome students back to school but would tarry awhile to obtain directives from the federal government on formal reopening of schools across the nation .

According to her,” it is not for me to say when schools will reopen and His Excellency Governor Willie Obiano has also said that the federal government will say when schools will reopen.”

She was of the opinion that while government awaits the resumption of schools across the country, the state would henceforth adopt what she mentioned as blended teaching, which she said was a combination of e-learning and physical teaching respectively.

The commissioner also explained that teachers would be trained on the Covid19 prevention protocols as well as pedagogy, methodology and other forms of teaching technics to meet the learning needs of the pupils at this critical time.

Omenugha recalled that the state government commenced its On-Air-Teaching Programme 1st April, 2020, barely a week schools were shutdown and ever since it has been a worthwhile approach, noting that Anambra teachers have received commendations all over the world regarding the On-Air-Learning Programme and that the minister of state for education also extolled the scheme.