Once your temperature is above 37 degree, we isolate you – UNILAG International School Principal

Once your temperature is above 37 degree, we isolate you – UNILAG International School Principal

By Según Ige

Phenomenal.com.ng visited the International School, University of Lagos (ISL), on 11 August 2020, and spoke with the Principal, Dr M. B. Malik, concerning the school’s preparedness in containing the Covid-19. Before his present position, Dr Malik had a stint as Principal at the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI), between 2007 and 2017 where he worked assiduously and introduced the Cambridge Advanced Level programme in September 2010, among many other notable achievements

Q: Sir, what has ISL done to ensure that its students are ready for the Covid-19 resumption?

A: Well, we have prepared very well for resumption. We have not less than 30 hand-washing points in the school. And as you were coming into the school, you saw these yourself – you saw some of these. So, students and staff and anyone who come into the school by the gate are meant to wash their hands or sanitise – or wash and sanitise. You MUST wear a face mask. Did you hear what I said? You MUST: you don’t compromise on that. Then our students, we have told them they must come to school with their hand sanitisers. We also told them that they have to wash their hands at intervals during the day in the school. Not just washing them in the morning and that’s the end. No. But they must wash their hands at 2 hours intervals. As they touch things, they need to wash and sanitise. We have soaps provided; we have sanitisers provided; and they also have their personal sanitisers. You saw markings on the floor, which are throughout the school. They represent SOCIAL DISTANCING. You can see I’m deliberately not close to you because I don’t know where you had been to. We make sure EVERYONE – including staff – social distance. Before anybody comes in, in the morning, we take the temperature. I’m sure yours was also taken? If your temperature is bad – is above 36.4 (or 37.4 max) – we isolate you. There is a place – an isolation centre – in the school. And if we have someone like that we contact the university Medical Centre. They will take further action on that. In our classrooms, we have a maximum of 15 students. Before, we used to have 35 students in a class. And when the students are going about for one thing or the other, two of them must not be seen together. We have educated them, very well, about the precautionary measures against Covid-19. And we told them: “Don’t buy your food outside. Come with your food pack.” And they are doing that. We do not allow food vendors into the school for now. We are really prepared. And everybody – including the members of the school, the school management, parents, even the students and staff – is happy that the school is doing their best.

Q: As you do all of these, have you in any way encountered some sort of, say, repugnance, that is, rejection, from their parents in one way or another? That is, has any of these parents said their children won’t resume yet considering the fact that the school might not be equipped enough?

A: We have a WhatsApp and Telegram forum. We told them that we wanted to resume at so-so date and that the school was putting things in shape before resumption. We told them everything and sent pictures to them on how we were prepared for resumption. They were more than happy. Even parents contributed money and gave to the school, saying: “We are happy for what you are doing for the resumption of our children. We parents are now supporting you. School, please, do more. Where you have provided 10, we want you to provide another 10. Where you have done 5, add more 5.” So, the parents supported.

Q: So what if in any case, during the resumption, a particular student contracts Covid-19? Is there any sort of isolation centre?

A: I told you that before. We have an isolation centre.
Q: And the nurses are…?

A: Qualified nurses. In company with the Medical Centre. We isolate the child and inform the Medical Centre. They take it up from there. If the person is diagnosed of Covid-19, they take him or her to the appropriate place. But we don’t have any case like that. We don’t have it at all, despite the fact that we are prepared for any eventuality.