KANO, Katsina, Bauchi, and Kebbi States with some of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in Nigeria shut down schools for Ramadan, further disrupting education in places already struggling with low enrollment. The closures raise concerns about prolonged learning gaps and the broader impact on child development in these states.
According to data from the National Mass Education Programme Initiative (NMPI), the number of out-of-school children stands at 1.89 million in Kano, 1.4 million in Katsina, 1.37 million in Bauchi, and 1.06 million in Kebbi. This puts Kano at the top of the ranking with Katsina 2nd, Bauchi 3rd, and Kebbi 6th.
The ICIR reports that these four states have shut down schools to allow pupils and students observe a Ramadan break.
Ramadan is a 28-30 days fast observed annually by muslim faithfuls. The date and days are determined by the observation of the moon’s crescent.
In Bauchi State, the closure affect all public and private primary and secondary schools, as well as higher institutions of learning.
The state 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 running 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.
In Kebbi and Kano, the revised 2024/2025 academic calendars indicate that the Ramadan break commenced on March 1, 2025, with students expected to resume for the third term on April 7, 2025.
In Katsina, the government backed morality enforcing agency, Katsina State Hisbah Board directed the suspension of academic activities during the period. This directive they say also includes the stopping of “extra lessons.”
The pausing of academic activities also affects schools owned and operated by private individuals and religious organisations. The Catholic Church, which has schools impacted by this decision, has described it as a violation of their rights.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in a statement said “The Nigerian state is secular, and this secularity is not a mere declaration; it is a fundamental principle that must guide all aspects of our national life”.
With these states already grappling with some of the country’s highest out-of-school rates, Nigerians, education experts and stakeholders fear the closure could further worsen an already dire situation.
The ICIR reports that Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world, with estimates ranging between 10 and 20 million, according to 2024 UNICEF report.
Specifically, the country’s education system faces an alarming crisis, with 10.2 million children of primary school age, and another 8.1 million of junior secondary school age out of school, and 74 per cent of children aged 7–14 lacking basic reading and Math skills.
According to the report, the crisis is compounded by increasing attacks on schools, with 19 documented incidents in 2022 and 2023 leading to the closure of 113 schools in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states due to insecurity. There were several other cases of attacks on schools in 2024.
For instance, the attack on primary and secondary schools in Kuriga, where 137 students were kidnapped led to its closure for several months.
Data from the National Mass Education Programme Initiative (NMPI) shows that the four states which shut down schools for Ramadan are among those with the highest number of out-of-school children in the country.
The ICIR analysis shows that Kano, being one of the country’s most populous states, has nearly 1.89 million school-aged children not receiving formal education, translating to 39.2 per cent of its school-age population.
Katsina has about 1.4 million children out of school, representing 45.9 per cent of its school aged population.
In Bauchi, the crisis is even more severe, with 55.7 per cent of school-age children not attending school. This accounts for 1.37 million children left behind in the educational system.
Kebbi State has 67.6 per cent of its school-age population out of school, recording over 1.06 million children outside the classroom.
This means Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kebbi lead the ranking of out of school children in Nigeria respectively.
Zamfara, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Oyo, Plateau, Adamawa sit in the top 15 of the ranking.
Sowore, NANS condemn school closures
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, while reacting to the school closure in a recent interview published by TV Platinum, described the decision as ‘ignorant’ and ‘idiotic.’
“Saudi Arabia, where everybody is headed for lesser Hajj—did they close down their schools? You see, those are ignorant Muslims,” Sowore said.
He said if he were a president, no state governor would intervene with religion under his watch.
Also, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, on Monday, March 3, threatened a nationwide protests should the affected state governments fail to reverse their decision to close down schools.
NANS, in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, described the closure as an infringement on the right of every student to uninterrupted education.
The student body further noted that the development would negatively impact learning.
Recall that The ICIR reported that the affected state governments, particularly Bauchi, faced backlash following its decision on closing schools during the Ramadan.
The decision drew criticism from parents and Nigerians, who argued that such a long break could further harm the already struggling education system in a state with one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
CAN calls decision discriminatory
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described the closure as discriminatory and a violation of the rights of non-Muslim students. The organisation further threatened that it would pursue legal action if the orders were not rescinded.
In a statement issued on Sunday, March 2, in Abuja, CAN President, Daniel Okoh, stated that “Policies impacting diverse populations—Muslims, Christians, and others—demand transparent, inclusive dialogue with parents, educators, religious leaders, and school proprietors.
Note: The headline was edited from top 5 to top 6
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M