THE Bauchi State government is facing backlash following its decision to close all schools in the state for five weeks in observance of the 2025 Ramadan fast.
The extended break, scheduled from March 1 to April 5, has sparked concerns among parents and many Nigerians, who fear it could negatively impact students’ academic progress.
The closure will affect all public and private primary and secondary schools, as well as higher institutions of learning in the state.
The Ministry of Education, in its approved 2024–2025 academic calendar, had incorporated the break as part of the school schedule.
According to the official academic calendar, the second term of the 2024/2025 session began on January 5, 2025. However, the term was divided into two phases with phase 1, between January 5 – February 28.
Phase 2 starts after a five-week break from March 1 to April 5, with classes resuming from April 6 to April 29.
The five-week closure means students will have only about three weeks of learning before the term officially ends, raising concerns about the adequacy of instructional time.
Confirming the development on Friday, the ministry’s Information Officer, Jalaludeen Maina, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the closure would affect all public and private primary, junior, and secondary schools, as well as higher institutions in the state.
“Yes, we are closing all our schools and this is included in our 2024-2025 approved calendar for the academic session that our students are not going to do the Ramadan fasting while in school.
“The five-week holiday is for Ramadan fasting, and immediately after the fasting, they will resume and continue with their academics,” he said.
Backlash from parents, stakeholders
However, the decision has reportedly drawn criticism from parents and Nigerians, who argue that such a long break could further harm the already struggling education system in Bauchi, a state with one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
According to NAN, a parent, Sunita Joseph, expressed frustration over the extended holiday, warning that it could lead to a loss of learning among students.
“Why would Ramadan break be too long like this? The children may have even started forgetting what they had learned before the break,” she said.
Another concerned parent, Ismail Raji called on the state government to reconsider the decision, warning that it could contribute to the rising number of out-of-school children in the state.
Similarly, Mohammed Isa criticised the move, urging the government to focus on policies that promote education rather than disrupt it.
A social media user, Fazza, on X stated, “This prolonged closure seems excessive and may disrupt the academic calendar, ultimately affecting the students’ learning and development.”
Another user with the handle prof Imonokha Enakhena wrote “This is pathetic for a region that is educationally disadvantaged deliberately buzzing the button of self-destruction. Unfortunately, most schools have been closed because of palpable insecurity and are just attempting resumption; then you have this irresponsible and ignorant proclamation that is atrocious and obfuscating putting schools on hold for five weeks.”
Meanwhile, several other users lauded the development, noting that it was a reasonable decision due to the adverse weather during the fasting period.
They referenced some foreign countries that, according to them, close schools during extreme winter or summer conditions.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M