Queens’ College postpones resumption amid disease outbreak

Following the health crisis rocking Queens’ College, Lagos, resumption of academic activities at the school has been postponed indefinitely.

There had been an outbreak of water-borne diseases in the school, leading to deaths of students and panic among parents.

It was reported that two students have died since the outbreak of the diseases, with more than 50 others currently on admission in the school’s clinic after eating spaghetti and drinking water in the refectory.

In its reaction, the Lagos State government had advised an indefinite shutdown of the school.
Addressing journalists in Lagos Thursday, Jide Idris, the state’s Commissioner of Health, said the school’s resumption should be delayed until appropriate health measures are put in place for the safety of the students.

Similarly, the Unity School Old Students’ Association, USOSA, on Sunday called for the declaration of public health emergency at the school.

The school, a federal government-owned institution, had been billed to reopen from its midterm break on Sunday March 19.

But Chidi Odinkalu, president-general of USOSA, said in a statement that pending independent
certification of the school as safe for human activity, it should remain closed.


School officials did not agree to speak to journalists on the record. But they confirmed that the resumption date had been rescheduled indefinitely.

When newsmen visited the school on Monday, the staff said students had been informed of the postponement via text messages.

A teacher in the school who declined to have her name in print told newsmen that the messages were sent Sunday evening to inform parents of the postponement. But when probed about the new date fixed for resumption, she said there was no official statement to that effect.

“For now, those in SS3 and JSS3 are coming in as day students from today, Monday, in order to prepare them for their WAEC exams,” another staff said.

John Simeon, a parent told newsmen that the decision to close down the school was right, adding that it would have been too risky to expose the students to health hazards.

“It is the best decision; they should only work on the appropriate measures to arrest the situation so students can resume on time,” he said.

A student who identified herself as Bimpe confirmed the presence of the SSS3 and JSS3 students in school. She also said that classes were on-going to prepare them for their forthcoming West
African Examination Council, WAEC, exams.