BENIN CITY – Academic activities resumed yesterday in both private and public primary and secondary schools in Benin City, Edo State despite the rumoured postponement of the 2016/2017 3rd term session.

Most of the schools visited by our correspondents in Benin City, Edo State recorded low number of students, pupils and teachers who were seen going about normal academic activities.

Also, students were seen clearing grasses and cleaning up the schools, environment.

Speaking on resumption of schools, Mr. Ebenezer Badges, a teacher, expressed his readiness to commence work for the new term.

“I finished writing my lesson note yesterday, and we had a seminar where we were taught how to improve our skills in teaching and how to communicate better with the students, we have already put things in place,” he said.

Mr. Ebenezer, however, advised parents who kept their children and wards at home, on the pretext that schools have not yet resumed, to allow them go back to school as academic activities would start immediately.

“It is not a good idea to stay at home this period as lectures have started so, by the time the children will be coming tomorrow (today) or next, they would have missed the previous teachings and no teacher is going back to repeat what he/she has taught.

“On that ground, the child has lost something and if the child is not a brilliant student, he or she will not be able to comprehend what the teacher has taught before,” he said.

Also, the headmaster of Ogbe Primary School, Mr. Ikponmwoba Augustin refuted the claim that resumption date has been postponed to next month and noted that academic activities have commenced.

“Before now, there were rumours around that they have postponed resumption date. Just yesterday, I officially confirmed that the resumption date remains unchanged. I was informed that it was only Catholics Schools that have something to do which is why they postponed theirs to do that is why they postponed their to next month, but for government schools, there is nothing like that,” he said.

However, a teacher, Mrs. Bello Joyce lamented over the low turn out of students in schools and hoped that they would resume soon.

Mrs. Bello noted that “Teachers are in school, but no students, may be by tomorrow, some of the students will resume with us. The only thing I heard was that some secondary schoos have not resume because the SSCE candidates are using their classes for their examinations, but primary schools have resumed fully.”

Meanwhile, some of the parents who spoke with The NIGERIAN OBSERVER explained their preparations towards the commencement of the new academic term.

Speaking, as one Mr. Eze Kenneth said he has made material and financial provision needed for his children to resume school.

“I have made preparations for my children to resume school. Their uniforms and books are in order and I have provided the money needed for the purchase of materials needed in school,” he said.

In a release development, some of the booksellers who spoke with The NIGERIAN OBSERVER expressed their displeasure low patronage of writing materials, especially as schools have resumed, attributing it to the current economic situation of the country.

A bookseller who identified himself as Chibuke Ogudo said “As you can see, there is no patronage, but I hope that in subsequent days, parents will come and buy books”.