The governments of Katsina, Kebbi and Bauchi states have directed all schools--public and private--to proceed on holiday for the whole month of Ramadan, when Muslims observe strict fasting.

The government said the holiday is to allow students, teachers and other stakeholders to observe the holy month, which begins on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

According to Kebbi State’s revised 2024/2025 academic calendar, the second term will conclude on February 28, 2025, and Ramadan will commence on March 1, 2025.

Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, said the state government approved the break to allow the Muslim communities in the state’s educational institutions to fully engage in fasting, prayers and other religious activities associated with Ramadan.

According to Idris, schools across the state are scheduled to resume for the third term on April 7, 2025.

“The government urges all educational establishments to adhere to this schedule and wishes the Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.”

The Katsina State government also directed all schools in the state to shut down for Ramadan. The Commander General of the state’s Hisbah Board, Dr. Aminu Usm, issued a statement specifically ordering private schools to close and warning against non-compliance.

The statement reads: “In accordance with the Katsina State government’s directive, all private schools are required to close for the Ramadan period to allow pupils to fully observe the holy month. The directive includes extra lessons, please.

The holiday directive in Bauchi State passed down through the Ministry of Education, states that all schools operating in the state, including privately owned and faith-based ones, are expected to be closed for the next 40 days.

Below are social media reactions:

The decision taken by the state has sparked reactions from various quarters, with concerns raised over the implications of prolonged school closures on academic performance.

Critics argue that such scheduling prioritises religious observances over education, potentially affecting students in the long run.

Abiodun, a social media user, lamented what he described as an imbalance in governance, stating, “A state government has closed down all schools for the next month because of Ramadan. This country isn’t designed to make it.”

Others, however, defended the move, asserting that the adjustment aligns with the curriculum’s structure.

A National Youth Service Corps member, Khaleef Aniwura, currently serving in Bauchi, who shared the state-approved calendar, explained, “As a corps member here in Bauchi State, the holiday is according to the school curriculum. We have already finished the curriculum for academic activities for the second term. The school will resume in April to continue all other activities and the third term.”

The debate over the calendar has also reignited discussions on the role of religion in governance, particularly in the education sector. Some have questioned whether similar considerations would be given to non-Muslim religious observances.

Another X user identified as TheGrinch commented, “Brother, it has always been alleged that it [Sharia law] isn’t for non-Muslims, so how come non-Muslim alcoholic drink traders are having their goods destroyed in the North? Or will Sharia in the North be different from the one in the South? Call a spade a spade, please.”