The minister, who spoke during the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance with virus prevention protocol by schools that have resumed for exit classes.

He said the government was continuing with its engagement with private school teachers to access the N100 billion Central Bank of Nigeria credit support intervention for the healthcare industry.

He said the government had forwarded the requests that they made to the CBN and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, adding, “For us, they are part of the provision the Federal Government has made in relation to SMEs.”

The minister, however, said some pupils ignore the protocols, once they get out of class, they come together, hug each other, playing. “There is no way around that. It is almost very difficult,” he said.

Also speaking during the PTF briefing, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, urged Nigerians to comply strictly with the COVID-19 safety protocols, such as the appropriate use of facemasks, maintaining social distancing and practising hand hygiene.