The Nigerian government has announced that Nigerian students will not be participating in the forthcoming West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu made the announcement after the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, July 8.

The Minister who also disclosed that there is no date yet for school resumption added that he will prefer Nigerian students lose an academic year than expose them to danger.

“Schools under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education will not reopen on August 4th or any time soon. Our schools will only open when we believe it is safe for our children and that is when the situation is right, not when the number of COVID-19 infection is going up in the nation. So, I just want to make that clear,” Mr Adamu said.

He said the government will not reopen schools now for examinations or any other reason “unless it is safe for our students because WAEC cannot determine for us what we do so schools will remain closed.”

“Yesterday we called a meeting of stakeholders to tell us their situation and what needs to be done in order to reopen schools but while the meeting was going on, WAEC announced that they will start exams so let’s see who they are going to start with,” he said.

The minister appealed to schools that have already reopened to rescind their positions.