Enugu State Ministry of Education has appealed to parents to send their wards back to school, assuring them that no unapproved activities were carried out in any school.
The state commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, gave the assurance in a signed statement issued in Enugu on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Wednesday, virtually all schools in South East abruptly suspended academic activities over an unconfirmed rumour of vaccination being administered on pupils in primary schools by soldiers.
It was alleged that some military personnel were forcing people to engage in a free medical vaccination and were been injected with Monkey pox virus.
NAN reports that parents in the state especially in Enugu metropolis quickly withdrew their children and wards from schools as early as 10 a.m. that fateful day.
While some schools which gates were locked with padlock, were forcefully opened, some of them had their gates damaged due to the stampede to get the children out from schools.
But Eze said that his ministry’s investigation revealed that the Monkey pox news had been found out to be untrue and unfounded.
“We are appealing to parents to do the needful by sending their wards and children back to school.
“The ministry had taken appropriate pro-active steps to ensure that our schools are safe and no unauthorized and unapproved activities are carried out in any school in the state.
“The ministry had strengthened its supervisory and monitoring units with more hands as well as given them additional mandates in order to keep a close eye on schools especially on activities on-going in and round schools,’’ he assured.
NAN reports that since Wednesday, after the unfounded Monkey pox rumour incident, school attendance has dropped slightly in the state.NAN