Ramadan: CAN, NANS Condemn Closure Of Schools In Bauchi, Katsina, Other States

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Monday condemned closure of schools in Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states while threatening to embark on nationwide protests if the governors of the states in question do not rethink their decision.

 The student body has given the four states a 72-hour ultimatum to reverse the decision.

 NANS, in a statement  issued by its National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, described the closure of schools as an infringement on the rights of students to uninterrupted education noting that this will also threaten academic progress and amounts to  discrimination against non-Muslim students.

‘The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS National Body) vehemently condemns the recent directive by the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states to close schools during the holy month of Ramadan.

This policy is not only unjust but also a blatant infringement on the fundamental rights of students to receive uninterrupted education.

NANS stands firm in advocating for the rights to education for all Nigerian students, regardless of their religious affiliations. Closing schools for an extended period during Ramadan undermines the academic progress of students, disrupts their learning, and unfairly targets non-Muslim students, subjecting them to undue discrimination.

The Nigerian constitution, along with various international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory, guarantees the rights to education for all citizens. The decision to close schools during Ramadan violates these principles and sets a dangerous precedent that prioritizes religious observances over the educational rights of students.

 NANS demands the immediate reversal of this policy and issues a 72-hour ultimatum to the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states to take a corrective action and reopen schools.

Failure to comply will result in nationwide protests and legal actions to protect the rights of Nigerian students’ the statement said while  urging all stakeholders, including parents, educators, and civil society organisations, ‘to join us in this fight to ensure that education remains a priority for all Nigerian students’.

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In separate statement, the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and Abuja has  also condemned the closure of public and private schools in  the aforementioned states.

Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, Rev John Hayab in a statement he issued in Kaduna on Monday  said the closure  of schools would negatively impact senior secondary students preparing for examinations and junior students taking Junior Secondary Schools examination in the affected states.

‘We are worried about the school closure given the drawbacks in school life faced by children in most northern states triggered by rising insecurities, which have obstructed the education of our wards.

The closure of schools can negatively impact senior secondary students who are preparing to take the exams organised by the Joint Matriculation Examination Board. The same also applies to junior students who  will take the Junior Secondary Schools exams.”

 The other anxiety is that some of the children asked to stay at home are under the age of 14 and, as such, may not even be religiously mature enough to observe the fast.

The recent Multidimensional Poverty Index by the National Bureau for Statistics highlights the educational challenges in these states, with Bauchi at 54%, Kebbi at 45%, Katsina at 38%, and Kano at 35% of children lacking access to education’ he said.

 Hayab noted that even in countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, schools remain open during Ramadan, urging the states in question to adopt a similar approach.

He has also suggested reduction of school hours instead of closure of schools.

 ‘From a global perspective, CAN in the 19 Northern States and the FCT observe that in places such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where Islam is the principal faith, even as we speak schools remain open during Ramadan, matching education with spiritual practice.

On the strength of the above facts, the leadership of CAN 19 Northern States and the FCT views the move to close schools during Ramadan as misjudged and admonishes the affected states that the best approach could be to cut the school hours, say from morning to noon time, to permit school administrators and teachers as well as students who are of age to observe the fast to have some time but not total closure as the current move could weaken the prospects of delivering quality education for all in the region.

CAN in the 19 Northern states has consulted with prominent Islamic scholars and from their explanation we realized that the decisions of those governors could just be political expediency and not backed by any Islamic teaching.

 CAN Northern Nigeria therefore wishes to appeal to governors of Northern Nigeria especially those who are championing this kind of ill advice idea to stop presenting our region in bad light and make people to laugh at us as if we are unserious people.

 As peace-loving people, CAN in the 19 Northern States and Abuja in solidarity with the statement released by the National President of CAN yesterday on this subject matter are calling on the people to remain calm and law-abiding and challenge stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to address the matter most amicably’ the statement added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you