The Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON) has claimed that their fear is centred around the possible ‘mass failure’ of students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) scheduled to commence on August. The FG having directed that schools should resume for exit class on August 4 and start WAEC on 17, APSON, however, said the students need six weeks for preparation to avoid mass failure.

Reports have it that APSON on Thursday, July 30, attributed its prediction to poor preparation of students due to the COVID-19 lockdown. this was contained in a statement jointly issued by Bishop Godly Opukeme and Bishop Elakhe Imoukhede, chairman and national director of administration of the association in response to the federal government’s directive that schools should resume academic activities on August 4, only for exit classes.

The statement said that to avert mass failure, there should be four to six weeks of academic revision to enable students to adequately get reacquainted to school work and prepare for the examination.

“These candidates have been out of school for over four months, during which some have abandoned their books and be engaged in economic activities to assist their parents,” APSON said.

It explained further that the students needed a minimum of one month to re-acclimatize to the school environment. It stressed that: “We wish to reiterate that, to avoid mass failure, the students need between four and six weeks for effective revision as our people are used to the conventional schooling and are yet to fully come to terms with e-learning.” The statement further explained that the association had constituted a national COVID-19 committee ahead of school resumption, assuring that it will abide by the COVID-19 safety protocol.