As Lagos State schools prepare to reopen for the second term of the 2025/2026 academic session, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, has issued a firm directive to all educational institutions, emphasizing non-negotiable adherence to public health and safety protocols. The resumption date is set for Monday, January 12, 2026, applying uniformly to all public and private primary and secondary schools, as well as government technical colleges across the state.
In a statement released by the Ministry’s Public Affairs Department and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Commissioner outlined a proactive enforcement strategy. Government officials have already been deployed as inspection teams across Lagos’s diverse educational districts. Their mandate is to conduct unannounced visits to ensure every school complies with the “established safety standards,” which likely encompass infrastructure safety, hygiene facilities, emergency preparedness, and any ongoing disease control measures relevant to the period.
This call to action extends beyond school gates. Commissioner Alli-Balogun explicitly urged parents and guardians to ensure their wards are “adequately prepared” for resumption. This preparation is multidimensional: it involves ensuring children have completed their holiday assignments, possess the necessary learning materials, and, crucially, are mentally and physically ready to return to a structured academic environment. The commissioner’s commendation of teachers, parents, and guardians highlights the recognized partnership required for a successful term.
The directive is rooted in the state government’s broader commitment, as reiterated by the Commissioner, to provide a “safe and conducive learning environment.” This commitment is operationalized through the approved Lagos State Schools Calendar and enforced by the newly deployed inspection teams. The message is clear: academic activities must commence immediately and seamlessly, but not at the expense of student and staff welfare.
For school administrators, this announcement serves as a final checklist reminder to review safety protocols, from fire drills to first-aid kits and classroom ventilation. For parents, it is a prompt to engage with their children about the return to school and to verify that their chosen schools meet the expected standards. The collective effort underscored by the Commissioner aims to ensure that the second term begins not just on schedule, but with a foundation of safety and shared responsibility that supports effective learning throughout the period.
Edited by Maureen Ojinaka/Vivian Ihechu
