Lagos orders public, pri­vate schools to screen visitors

Lagos State govern­ment has directed all public and pri­vate schools in the state to start screening visitors to their schools before allow­ing them into their prem­ises.

Giving the directive yes­terday while addressing owners of private schools in the state at a quarterly stakeholders’ forum in Ikeja, Director-General of the state’s Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, said the measure was to safeguard lives and property of stu­dents and school workers.

She noted that no school was exempted to carry out the directive and no visitor, irrespective of how highly placed they may be in the society, was exempted from being screened at the gate before entrance.

According to her, all schools, either public or private operating in the state must ensure their visitors, irrespective of whom and where they come from, must properly identify themselves before they are allowed in.

She said it was not enough for visitors to pro­duce their identity cards; they must also be ready to be documented in a dedi­cated register with their details before they are al­lowed into the premises.

“The era of when any­body can just come into the school and enter the prem­ises unchallenged has gone in Lagos State. We must not give chances to unwanted guests. Let all be security conscious,” she stressed.

She however, restated that primary and second­ary schools across the state had resumed since Monday for a new academic session, calling on parents to release their children as academic activities have commenced immediately.

Speaking earlier at the fo­rum, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, reaffirmed the state government’s de­termination not only to sus­tain the standard of educa­tion, but also to move a step forward in the state.

She said education was bedrock of development of any society and that Lagos cannot afford to compro­mise the future of children whom she called leaders of tomorrow.

Represented by the Per­manent Secretary in her office, Mr. Michael Daodu, asked private school own­ers to comply with all policies and programmes guiding their operations, promising that govern­ment on its part will con­tinue to provide enabling environment for them to soar.