Nigeria Closes Schools For Voters' Registration

Story by Toly Timi (email - tolytimi@yahoo.com)

worldstagegroup.

 

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Thursday announced the extension of resumption date for primary and secondary schools across the country to February 4.

The extension would also affect pupils in privately owned schools.

This followed a request by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the date be shifted ahead of the voters’ registration exercise in which majority of the schools are likely to be used as registration centres.

Announcing the extension in Abuja at a media briefing, Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi noted that the action became necessary in order “to accede to the request of INEC.”

He disclosed that “INEC wrote a letter requesting that we shift the resumption date from the 7th of January to the 4th of February and as you know, the government and the people of this country have paid a lot of premium to the issue of election and as a result, anything will be done to make sure that we do not have any excuse for Nigerians at the end of the election.

“We have directed that all schools in the country both private and public remain closed, the resumption will now be on the 4th of February, 2011.

“This resumption date has nothing to do with universities across the country. It is for primary and secondary schools nationwide and it include both private and public schools.”

He explained that the Ministry of Education had semi-oversight function over schools whether public or private noting that the voters’ registration period is a very sensitive period which involves movement materials.

“We do not want to discriminate between private schools and public schools as a result of which we have asked them to close for this period.

“Nothing will be too small for the benefit of the proper registration which will culminate into a proper election and for the greatness of the country hence we have created a level land to ensure for smooth registration.”

On whether government was making any provision to take care of the academic days that would be missed in the course of the registration, the Minister intimated stressed that government would find a way to ensure that the extension would be amended..

“We have decided to close down schools. Most of these schools will be used as registration centres nationwide and we do not want the interference of our children to create more difficult situation in the country and as a result, we have asked that the schools be closed down and we will make amend for this period that we have altered the calendar.

On the fate of the students preparing for the senior secondary examination, he said that “however, we should note that we have students who are in the thick of preparing for their examination . We have asked these ones to remain in school more particularly so as their numbers will not in any way affect what we are doing with INEC with regards to making available the schools for purposes of registration.”