CAN faults closure of schools in Ramadan

Kaduna In the FCT and the 19 northern states, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticized the closure of schools in some Northern states because of the Ramadan fast and urged Northern governors to align education with spiritual practices.
In a statement, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, Chairman of CAN 19 Northern States and the FCT, said that the directives to close public and private schools in Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi States for five weeks in observance of the Ramadan fast have caught the attention of CAN 19 Northern States and the FCT.

"CAN in the 19 Northern States and the FCT unquestionably respect our region's religious diversity and support the observance of the fast," he clarified, "but we call for a deep reflection.

“CAN, in the 19 Northern States and the FCT 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 for five weeks is not only faultily timed, but the impact of the schools’ closure could further be a setback for the education of the young persons in the region.

It goes without saying that senior secondary students who are getting ready for the Joint Matriculation Examination Board exams may suffer if schools are closed. Junior students who take the Junior Secondary School exams are likewise affected. The closure may result in severe failure, which would lower the likelihood that children from the north will earn the necessary points to be admitted into postsecondary institutions by October 2025, since they are unlikely to study at home as they would at school.

Another concern is that some of the kids who are being asked to stay at home are younger than 14 and might not even be old enough in their faith to observe the fast. Additionally, the most current Multidimensional Poverty Index provided by the National Bureau for Statistics puts Bauchi State at 54% of children lacking access to education, with Kebbi State next at 45%. In comparison, Katsina has 38%, and Kano trails at 35%.

“As a people, CAN, in the 19 Northern States and the FCT wish to remind our people that as no examination in Nigeria is regional, by closing schools in some northern states, the prevailing gaps in the education performance table in most northern states could widened, and that would further take us down the ladder of progress.

“Meanwhile, 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. Consequently, CAN in the 19 Northern States and the FCT call on the states that have announced closures to copy from the Arab nations and do what is necessary to protect our kids from losing out to be at parity with their peers in other parts of Nigeria and beyond.

Furthermore, the governments violated the rights of those who might disagree with the closure of schools under the pretext of observing the Ramadan fast by not appearing to have had an open and inclusive conversation with educators, parents, religious leaders, and school owners. Now, if schools were to be closed in observance of the Lent season in Christendom, it would mean that students could stay at home for more than two months. This would not be good for the region's educational development and would put the states' efforts to increase access to high-quality education, particularly for public school students, in jeopardy.

“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.
Prominent Islamic scholars have been consulted by CAN in the 19 Northern states, and based on their explanations, we have come to the conclusion that the governors' decisions may have been made purely for political reasons rather than in accordance with Islamic teaching.

Therefore, CAN Northern Nigeria would like to make an appeal to the Northern Nigerian governors, particularly those who are supporting this kind of bad advice idea, to stop portraying our region negatively and making people laugh at us as though we are not serious people.

As peace-loving citizens, CAN in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, in accordance with the National President of CAN's statement issued yesterday on this topic, are urging the populace tomaintain composure and adherence tothe law and challenging stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to address the matter most amicably. God bless the Northern States and the FCT, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.