COVID-19 Protocols: Are Nigerian Universities Adhering?

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It's no longer news that the country had to go on a total lockdown for a very long term in the year 2020, due to the pandemic. All institutions, ranging from public to private had to go on a long break to prevent the continuous spread of the deadly virus. Universities were part of this development, they went on a total break for about 8-months in the year. 


After a lot of controversies, the federal government accepted that Universities resume school activities on the condition that they adhere strictly to Covid-19 protocols, which includes: Avoiding social gatherings, usage of nose masks and hand sanitizer always, staying 6-fts apart, most preferably online lectures. Several universities adhered to these rules, but as school activities began, many universities deviated from the instructions. noticed that students performance.

In the second half of 2021, many schools switched to physical classes, which makes it hard to abide by the Covid-19 rules. Strict adherence to these rules begins to wane, and in some cases stopped altogether. Online classes stopped which made way for physical classes, lackadaisical attitude towards using of facemask. In some Nigerian Universities, measures were taken to check students adherence to the use of facemask before entering the universities' vicinities but once the students enter, they remove their masks. An example is Obafemi Awolowo University. 


No effort is taken on the schools' part to check the students' compliance on the school grounds.

Crowd during a test at Obafemi Awolowo University.  Photo: The Icons


Likewise, there are no measures taken to provide materials for hands washing in most Nigerian Universities, especially, Federal Universities. No buckets, water, disinfectants or hands sanitizers provided in lecture theatres, libraries, offices and other places on campuses. Only few Universities provide these things and even these few ones are not effective. We have seen cases of buckets without water, water without soap, empty sanitizers bottles and so on. Even though the management set up handwashing facilities at the entrance of some the Halls of residence, they are not used at all. The issues of the overcrowded hostel rooms are also not left out which actually makes one wonder if the universities are actually following the rules of social distancing. 

With the little or no efforts taken by few Nigerian Universities to enforce the use of face masks, no effort at all is taken towards checking students temperature. No provisions for thermometer or any other instrument to check temperature or even to know if they are fit to be amidst other people.

Obviously, with the aforementioned, Nigerian Universities do not adhere or adhere strictly, as the case may be, to Covid-19 rules and protocols. This calls for serious deliberating and work by Nigerian Universities and the Federal government.

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