The Bauchi state government closed all schools in the state for five weeks in preparation for the 2025 Ramadan fast.

 

The announcement, the state’s education ministry said, is to implement the 2024-2025 academic calendar drafted for schools in the state.

 

Speaking in Bauchi on Friday, Jalaludeen Maina, the information officer at the ministry of education, told NAN that the holiday had already been incorporated into the calendar long before now.

 

He explained that the closure would take effect from March 1 to April 5.

 

Maina said the closure affects all the institutions of learning.

 

This includes all public and private primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary schools.

 

It also affects all higher institutions of learning in the state.

 

“Our students are not going to do the Ramadan fasting while in school,” said Maina.

 

“The five weeks holiday is for Ramadan fasting. Immediately after the fasting, they will resume and continue with their academics.”

Bauchi’s Academic Calendar for the 2024/25 Session.

Some parents in the state have lamented that the decision would adversely impact their children’s educational progress.

 

Sunita Joseph, who expressed frustration at the development, emphasised that the period was too long.

 

“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.

 

Ismail Raji, another parent, called on the state government to reconsider the decision.

 

He added that it could further encourage the out-of-school children syndrome.

 

Mohammed Isa, who frowned at the development, reminded the state government that the state was one of the states with the highest number of out-of-school children.

 

He said that the government should be coming up with projects and programmes that would encourage parents to send their wards to schools.