Friday, March 7, 2025 - The Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria (SCSN) has defended the decision of some state governments to close primary and secondary schools during Ramadan, citing concerns for students’ well-being amid extreme heat conditions in parts of the North. In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, the council urged states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, and Jigawa to follow suit, emphasizing that the move prioritizes students’ health and religious observance.
SCSN dismissed objections raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN) and some non-governmental organizations (NGOs), asserting that state
governments have full authority to determine school schedules. “This decision
ensures continuous learning while preventing students from remaining idle for
extended periods. It was carefully reviewed by the respective Ministries of
Education and widely welcomed by parents,” the statement read.
The council also criticized threats of legal or industrial action over
the school closures, describing them as unnecessary and an affront to state
governments’ authority. “It is baffling that CAN, which remained silent when
prolonged ASUU strikes disrupted entire academic sessions, is now opposing a
temporary, structured adjustment of just 25 school days,” SCSN added.
Citing the Education Law of January 1, 1964, the council stressed that
state governors have the exclusive right to set school holidays, except in Kogi
State, where the law does not apply. SCSN insisted that CAN is not a
stakeholder in northern states’ education policies, stating that no government
is obligated to seek external approval before making decisions that impact
schools.
The council commended the affected state governments for their foresight
in prioritizing students’ welfare and urged other northern states to adopt
similar measures. It further called on all stakeholders to respect state
governments’ decisions and avoid interfering in policies directly affecting
students and their families.
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