Teachers across Lagos State have thrown their weight behind state government over its planned cancelation of third term session after the Federal Government approved the resumption of only students in exit classes of Senior Secondary School three (SS3) across the country.
They explained that the state government option was in the best interests of all stakeholders in the education sector and that it showed the priority placed of lives of students and teachers across the state by the government.
The Guild had earlier reported that the state government was considering canceling the academic year third term and use students’ grades and assessments in previous terms for their promotion to the next classes.
As stated, the method was being considered after the announcement by Federal Government directing students in exit classes of Senior Secondary School three (SS3) across the country to resume on Tuesday, 4th of August, 2020 for revision classes ahead of their forthcoming West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations, excluding pupils and students in other exit classes.
Reacting to the planned cancelation, the Chairman, Nigerian Private School Teachers Association (NIPSTA), Peter Dugbo, noted that it was gratifying that government shared concerns of those in the sector by its proposed cancelation after considering the pandemic effect on the school calendar.
Dugbo, through a statement released to newsmen on Wednesday, maintained that while the public schools can use students’ grades and assessments in previous terms as criteria for promotion to the next classes, private schools should be allowed to decide its mode for promotion of students.
“I think it is a welcome idea. The Lagos state government has taken into cognizance the fact that school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the loss of an entire term.
“In order to meet up with the regular school calendar which runs from September to July, the best option is to cancel the third term by getting students and pupils in public schools promoted with their results of first and second terms.
“In terms of promotion from one class to the other, private schools should be left to decide what assessment instrument to use.
“This is because some private schools actually conducted the end of term examination online during this period of lockdown which could act as the third term examination,” the statement read.
