Peace Building and Social Justice (PSJ), a non governmental organization, has said closure of schools in some northern states for the observance of Ramadan should not be seen as the biggest concern.
Ishaya Inuwa Durkwa, executive director of the group, said this while fielding questions on the development, on Wednesday.
He said people should have worried about the poor state of schools, archaic curriculums, examination malpractices and sex for marks, among other disturbing issues, not the Ramadan holiday.
“Many voices, loud and passionate, have risen to condemn the decision. The argument should be that education should be a priority, and school closures set us back. But I can’t help but wonder: are these voices truly concerned about the state of education in Nigeria? Or is there something else at play? Let’s take a moment to reflect.”
“Where was this same outrage when public schools remained in shambles, with leaking roofs, broken desks, and overcrowded classrooms? Where were they when our curriculums failed to evolve, producing graduates who struggle to compete in a modern economy? Where was this outrage when exam malpractice became so normalised that students no longer fear failure? Teachers and lecturers extorted students for grades, sex, and financial favours?”
The executive director further asked, “where were the people when ASUU strikes kept students at home for months—sometimes years—without any decisive action to fix the root causes? According to him, if the people truly cared about education, why are we not screaming about these deeper issues? Why are the people not protesting against corruption, failed institutions, or the dire state of our economy?”
He asked why the people remained silent when roads turn into death traps, when insecurity steals lives daily, and when our young people graduate only to face a bleak future of unemployment and underemployment? “
“I suspect the real anger over school closures isn’t about education at all. It is about perception—about the feeling that one religion is asserting dominance over others. It is about suspicion that this decision is not just about Ramadan but about power and control. In other words, this outrage is not driven by a genuine concern for children’s education but by deeper fears of religious superiority and marginalisation, “ he added.