Covid-19: Health Institute Suspends SIWES Programme, Recalls Students From Industrial Attachment

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji 

ABEOKUTA - Following the intervention of National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) on the proposed Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) to be embarked upon by students of Royal Institute of Health Technology, Ifo, management of the institute has suspended the SIWES programme.

The management disclosed this on Monday following a meeting between the management of the school, representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the State capital.

The students bodies had over the weekend alleged the school authorities of violating the lockdown order on the closure of schools by mobilising students for the compulsory industrial attachment.

But, the Public Relations Officer of the Institute, Mr. Adewale Dada speaking at the peaceful meeting denied that the school had reopened for academic activities, emphasising that the school was not in academic session "and there was no academic activity going on in the school."

Dada explained at the meeting that the Students Industrial Work Experience (SIWES) programme had been called off until when the situation in regards the coronavirus is in good shape.

The college spokesman said, the school had deployed students for programme following the request from the Ogun State Hospitals Management Board for their students for Industrial Training attachment, but had to suspend the programme for now.

He said, “The school was never opened for activities. What happened last week was that Ifo local government area did a workshop for their health workers on control of COVID-19 pandemic and the hall of the school was used.

"The students planned to resume today, Monday, June 19, as directed in the letter by the Ogun State Hospitals Management Board but as I'm talking to you right now, the Siwes has been called off immediately NAOSS intervened in the situation.

"These students are health workers and part of the essential activities, in the history of their academic activities, it is important for them to have the experience of the COVID-19 control measure but as we speak, they have been called back," Dada said

Also speaking, the Special Assistant on Students' Matters to Governor, Comrade Azeez Adeyemi who presided over the peaceful meeting noted that the government was not to witch hunt the school or anybody but to save the students from the risk of contracting the deadly coronavirus.

"We have both agreed here today, that your students must be recalled from their Siwes programme. We have professional doctors and nurses who have contracted COVID-19 and have died’, he noted.

The Special Assistant also pointed out that, exposing students that are not yet professionals to the risk of contracting coronavirus is not too good, and called on need for students to return back to their homes".