The Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, on Monday has disclosed that private school teachers are eligible to access the Federal Government’s N100 billion COVID-19 intervention fund.

He said this while expressing satisfaction with the level of compliance with virus prevention protocol by schools that have resumed for exit classes.

Speaking during the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, the minister said the government was continuing with its engagement with private school teachers to access the N100 billion Central Bank of Nigeria credit support intervention for the healthcare industry.

“We have forwarded the requests that they made to the CBN and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment because for us, they are part of the provision the Federal Government has made in relation to SMEs.

“They are the intellectual power base of the country,” Nwajiuba stated.

He said:

“We have moved round the country. I inspected a few myself and I’m very happy with what we met on ground and seen how our students are conducting themselves. There is social distancing in the dormitories and classrooms.

“The Directors of Quality Assurance in all the states have reported positively. There is unanimity around the country. The students returned with all their face masks and hand sanitisers.”

The minister, however, said some pupils ignore the protocols.

“Once they get out of class, they come together, hug each other, playing. There is no way around that. It is almost very difficult,” he said.

Also speaking during the PTF briefing, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, urged Nigerians to comply strictly with the COVID-19 safety protocols, such as the appropriate use of facemasks, maintaining social distancing and practising hand hygiene.

He said:

“Half of all cases in Nigeria so far are concentrated in 20 LGAs, which could offer the attractive option of targeted attention, to focus on case finding, isolation and treatment.”