The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of Queen’s College, Lagos, has said the school will reopen on Sunday, March 19, despite the state government’s advise to postpone resumption.
John Ofobike, chairman of Queen’s College PTA, made the announcement on Friday.
The Lagos state ministry of health had on Thursday said the school’s water sources were contaminated and advised that it should remain closed indefinitely.
Jide Idris, Lagos commissioner for health, had said analysis conducted on the water samples at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital showed that the water in the school was not fit for ingestion.
But Ofobike, while maintaining that the school will resume as scheduled, criticised the Lagos health ministry for not consulting the federal ministries of health and education before calling for an indefinite closure.
He said the school had shut down 10 water sources and that the premises had been fumigated while the septic tank had been evacuated ahead of resumption.
“The resumption day remains Sunday, March 19. We expected the Lagos State Government to have shared its report with the supervising ministry of the college before going to the public with its advice that the school should be shut down,” he said.
“The resumption day was initially March 5. But we postponed resumption to allow experts brought in by the Old Girls Association to work. The expert, Engineer Oke, advised that we shut down all shallow water sources and leave only the industrial borehole. We have done that. Even the pipes have been cleaned. The septic tank has been evacuated and the kitchen has been cleaned.
“We have been working on the premises for two weeks and we are ready for resumption. I am surprised at the report because NAFDAC recertified Queen’s Delight just before the incident. My only daughter attends the school and there is nothing to hide.”
Out of the 1, 222 pupils who complained of abdominal pain, fever, vomitting and diarrhoea at the school clinic within five days in January, 16 pupils were admitted in various hospitals.
Nine pupils have been discharged, two are dead, while four are still on admission at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.
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