Schools were shut down across the country in March 2020 to guard against the spread of COVID-19, resulting in massive disruption of the normal third term’s academic activities.

But the Federal Government, which has 104 colleges (Unity Schools) spread across the country, said students in exit classes- JSS3 and SSS 3, who are expected to resume on Monday (today) will show evidence of school fees payment for the abridged term.

“A lot of issues have been raised, especially on whether or not students are to pay third term school fees, and whether JSS 3 will have to resume on Monday. The answer to both questions is yes.

“Resuming students are to pay their third term fees where they have not yet paid. JSS 3 students are also to resume in school as from Monday so they can do their revision preparatory to their exams. We have to make these clarifications quickly because Monday is the reopening date,” a terse statement by the Director of Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Goong, said.

The statement reads: “The West African Examination Council (WAEC-SSCE) will start on the 17th of August, 2020 while the National Business and Technical Examination Board, (NABTEB) examinations will start on the 21st September and end by 15th October, 2020.

“Other details of the schedule indicate that the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for SS3, conducted by NECO will start on the 5th of October and end on 18th of November, 2020.

“The Basic Education Certificate Examinations, (BECE) for JSS 3 also conducted by NECO, will start on the 24th of August and end on the 7th of September, 2020.

“Furthermore, the National Common Entrance Examination, (NCEE) which is a one-day NECO examination for intending applicants into Unity Colleges (JSS1) will run in-between the Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations i.e. on Saturday, 17th October, 2020.”