Bomba Dauda
Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSWN) regards the closure of public and private, primary and secondary schools by the Governments of Kano, Bauchi, Kebbi, and Katsina for five weeks during Ramadan, as undermining the importance of education in northern Nigeria and a disturbing religious violation on adherents of other faiths.
The closure of these schools coincides with the concerning reality that Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, with 66 per cent of the 18.3 million out of school in northern Nigeria. Furthermore, Kano, Bauchi, Kebbi, and Katsina state rank among the states in Northern Nigeria with the highest number of out-of-school children.
The closures of these schools for Ramadan fasting, which include private, faith-based schools operating in a secular state, also deprive children of other faiths of the right to their educational pursuits.
CSWN views this as ill-informed, ill-advised, and an infringement of their religious rights.
This arbitrary closure on fasting offers insight into the various forms of religious violations that Christians have been facing in certain northern states. These include the forced abduction, conversion, and marriage of young Christian girls, as well as the denial of permits for Christians to establish places of worship, gain admission to tertiary institutions, and secure employment, among other issues.
The Governors of these states should be addressing factors contributing to the large number of out-of-school children in the North. These include low attendance, low transition rates, high dropout rates, poor learning outcomes, and a high pupil-teacher ratio. These issues have helped perpetuate a cycle of underdevelopment and poverty that should concern everyone.
However, reducing school hours would have been a better option than completely closing these schools for five weeks if it became necessary to create a more convenient environment for these children to fast.
CSWN urges these state governments to reconsider these closures. This would demonstrate their commitment to the growth of education in Northern Nigeria and be fair to everyone in their states, regardless of their religious beliefs.
