A post on Facebook page Enjoyment Tee claims Nigeria's federal government will allow pupils in the final years of primary and secondary school to sit exams in July 2020.
On 19 March, Nigeria’s education ministry ordered all private and public schools shut, as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The post shows a photo of Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari signing a document, with the caption: “FG [federal government] Announces July 13th as resumption date for final year, SSCE and primary six students.”
The Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, or SSCE, is the final exam written by students in Nigerian secondary schools, and is required for further study in the country.
The post claims this was announced in the capital Abuja on 4 June at the government’s daily Covid-19 briefing. Other posts on Facebook have said the same. But is this accurate?
The education ministry immediately debunked the claims. “The official date for resumption of schools nationwide is yet to be announced,” the ministry tweeted on 4 June.
Asked when pupils would return to schools, the country’s health minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said: “There is no fixed date for that, the presidential task force for Covid-19 is studying and assessing the situation.”
He was speaking during a live Facebook broadcast on 6 June, marking 100 days of Covid-19 in Nigeria.
In May, Africa Check debunked similar claims that schools would resume 8 June. – Fatima Abubakar
On 19 March, Nigeria’s education ministry ordered all private and public schools shut, as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The post shows a photo of Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari signing a document, with the caption: “FG [federal government] Announces July 13th as resumption date for final year, SSCE and primary six students.”
The Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, or SSCE, is the final exam written by students in Nigerian secondary schools, and is required for further study in the country.
The post claims this was announced in the capital Abuja on 4 June at the government’s daily Covid-19 briefing. Other posts on Facebook have said the same. But is this accurate?
Officials insist no start date yet
The education ministry immediately debunked the claims. “The official date for resumption of schools nationwide is yet to be announced,” the ministry tweeted on 4 June.
Asked when pupils would return to schools, the country’s health minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said: “There is no fixed date for that, the presidential task force for Covid-19 is studying and assessing the situation.”
He was speaking during a live Facebook broadcast on 6 June, marking 100 days of Covid-19 in Nigeria.
In May, Africa Check debunked similar claims that schools would resume 8 June. – Fatima Abubakar
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