As a response to the removal of fuel subsidy, the Edo State Government has implemented a reduction in school days to three days per week. Ozavize Salami, the Chairperson of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), made this announcement in Benin City on Friday, following a meeting involving Anthony Okungbowa, the state’s Head of Service, and other government officials.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the government’s directive that public and civil servants should work three days a week due to the subsidy removal. Salami explained that to avoid administrative gaps, the school learning days have been clustered into the first three days of the week. Consequently, all basic education schools across the state will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Salami further mentioned that the government has already devised strategies to ensure compliance with the school curriculum. They have extended the learning time by one hour in primary schools and two hours in junior secondary schools to achieve the goals of the term’s curriculum. Additionally, the timetable for Thursday and Friday has been integrated into the schedule for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Regarding public and civil servants, the Head of Service clarified that while they are required to work three days a week, government offices will remain open throughout the week to provide services. Workers who are not on duty will operate remotely.
“For the three-day work week, we tried to cluster the school learning days into the first three days of the week. We did not want any gaps for administrative reasons. So, children will come on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in all basic education schools across the state,” she noted.
“What we have done also is that we’ve extended the learning time by one hour in primary schools and two hours in junior secondary schools to ensure that the term’s curriculum is achieved,” the SUBEB boss noted.
“So, we have taken the timetable for Thursday and Friday and integrated it into the timetable for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.”
