Parents have criticised the governments of Katsina, Kebbi, Kano and Bauchi for shutting down schools during the ongoing Ramadan fasting.
They described the decision by the affected four state governments as shocking and completely unwise.
The National President of the Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (PTAN), Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said, “I cannot imagine, let alone understand, what could have led the governors of these four states to make such a decision, especially at this crucial time when SS3 students are preparing for four major public examinations: the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB; the Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, conducted by WAEC and NECO; and the examination conducted by NABTEB.”
Danjuma explained that everyone understands the importance of these exams to students, saying that they need adequate preparation to perform well in the affected examinations.
He further explained that none of the examination bodies would lower their standards for any reason, including Ramadan fasting, pointing out that Nigeria operates a uniform school calendar nationwide, with students expected to cover a specific syllabus within a set period.
Danjuma questioned why the governors would shut down schools and ask students to stay at home for Ramadan fasting while their peers in the other 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory continue attending classes and preparing themselves for any examination that will come.
He said, “This decision, to us parents, is totally unwise and unacceptable and should be reversed. The action also infringes on the rights of non-Muslim students in those states to access education.”
According to him, such an unwarranted holiday should not even be considered in these four northern states that are already struggling with a high number of out-of-school children.
Danjuma questioned the fate of other civil servants who continue working and contributing to their respective state economies while teachers enjoy a five-week holiday, saying that it is another major issue and an unfair treatment of other civil servants in those states. He stressed that political leaders should think carefully before making decisions of public importance.
He noted that Nigeria has not yet fully recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown across various sectors, particularly education, emphasising that efforts should focus on bridging learning gaps rather than widening them.
He then urged the governors of the four affected states—Dikko Umar (Katsina), Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Nasir Idris (Kebbi) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi)—to reconsider their decisions and allow students to return to school so they can continue their studies alongside their peers in other parts of the country.
He stated that education is not a sector to be toyed with or politicised.
CREDIT: DAILY POST