Hours after announcing the suspension of all religious gatherings above 50 persons in the state for the next four weeks over the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Lagos State Government on Wednesday announced the closure of all public and private schools in the state effective Monday, March 23, 2020.

A statement endorsed by Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, said schools closure became expedient in order to prevent teachers and their pupils from contracting the deadly disease in the state where six confirmed cases are already quartered.

The statement read: “As part of the preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Lagos State Government is closing down all public and private schools from Monday, 23rd March 2020.

“The move becomes necessary to prevent our children and their teachers from getting more vulnerable to the pandemic.

“It is important for parents to ensure that their children practise ‘social distancing’ while at home, wash their hands regularly or use hand sanitizers and observe high standards of personal hygiene. Children should be encouraged to remain at home.

“The closure is not intended to create panic but to arrest the spread of the disease, which has become a global threat.
“The Incident Command Centre, headed by the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is the Incident Commander, will continue to trace all contacts of the identified cases.”