Measles outbreak forces Adamawa to postpone school resumption

Adamawa State Government has postponed the resumption of schools for the third term.

The schools, which reopened yesterday, were told to close until Monday, May 13.

In a circular dated May 6, 2024, the state’s Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development stated: “The resumption date of the third term for the 2023/2024 academic session, earlier scheduled for May 6, 2024, has been postponed till next week, May 13, 2024, due to outbreak of measles in some local councils in the state.”

The circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Aisha Umar, explained that the postponement “is to mitigate the spread of the disease, and to enable the Primary Health Care Agency to vaccinate the age group vulnerable to the disease.”

The circular was addressed to the Acting Secretary, Post Primary Schools Management Board; Acting Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board; and the Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Adamawa State.

It added that all public and private schools “are hereby directed to close down accordingly.”

On Friday, May 3, it was reported the state government confirmed a measles outbreak in two local councils that had, by then, claimed 42 lives.