By Our Correspondent
The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, has criticized the decision of four northern states – Bauchi, Katsina, Kebbi, and Kano – to shut down state-owned schools during the Ramadan fasting period.
Hotpen reports that, the four states Bauchi, Kano, Katsina and Kebbi had announced the compulsory closure of schools from March 1 for the Ramadan period, a move many Nigerians have condemned especially as the northern region has some of the highest rates of out-of-school children in the country.
The Minister who also condemned the decision in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the move was counterproductive as there was nowhere else in the world that schools are closed because of fasting.
Suwaiba Ahmad argued that such practice is not followed in any Muslim-majority country and that keeping schools open during Ramadan is the standard norm, even in nations where Islam is the dominant religion.
“There is no religious basis for shutting down schools during Ramadan. Even in countries like Saudi Arabia, which are recognised as Muslim nations, educational institutions continue to function normally during this period,”
Ahmad said in the statement. She acknowledged that though each state has the authority to make decisions regarding its education system, but stressed that the Federal Ministry of Education can engage with these states and present its position on the matter.
“We respect the autonomy of states in managing their education systems, but we strongly believe that closing schools for Ramadan is unnecessary and detrimental to student learning.
“Our role is to engage in constructive dialogue with the states and advocate for policies that prioritise education,” she said.
The Minister also noted that the ministry has appealed to the governments of the four states to reconsider their decision to shut down state-owned schools for Ramadan, expressing concern that the closure would lead to significant loss of learning time.
Hotpen reports that, it was the Christian Association of Nigeria initially criticised the closures, calling them discriminatory and a violation of students’ rights.
The CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, pointed out that education is a fundamental right and should not be sacrificed for religious reasons.
In a related development, the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria urged Zamfara, Sokoto, Jigawa and other states to adopt similar measures.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, the council insisted that the governors had full authority to determine school schedules.
It said the closures indicated that the government prioritised students’ well-being amid extreme heat conditions.
So also, the Northern Elders Forum expressed support for the closures, emphasising the need for policies that balance education with religious observances.
