The Bayelsa State Government on Monday mentioned that it has taken steps to ensure that schools are safe to allow exits students to resume and participate in external examinations as initiated by the Federal Government.

Messrs Freston Akpor and Walter Liverpool, Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Information and Education respectively assured that the government was doing its best to protect students and teachers.

They said that government was already fumigating schools across the state as well as providing hand washing facilities and urged parents and communities to complement the efforts of the government.

Akpor who is a member of the Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force, said that Gov. Douye Diri had approved the deployment of health professionals to schools while temporary isolation facilities would be put in place in schools.

“The government of Bayelsa State has been working to get our schools ready and safe for our children and that is why we have scheduled a train the trainers programme to acquaint schools with COVID-19 safety protocols.

“The essence is to build capacity of our people and update them with the guidelines from the Federal Government on the reopening of schools that is why we are taking our time and shifted the resumption for final year students to Aug. 5.

“Government is providing face masks, infrared thermometers and access to water for schools without water supply, alternative arrangements are in place, and we are poised to check the spread of the coronavirus.

“In view of the questionable and low quality of hand sanitizers, we are emphasizing frequent hand washing with soap and water, and we appeal to members of the public as well as parents and guardians to complement the efforts’ government is making.

“Parents should for example provide additional face masks for their wards so that for instance when they wash the ones provided in schools, they can have a spare one,” NAN quoted Akpor as saying.