By Adesina Wahab
Parents, under the aegis of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, have called on the governments of Bauchi and Katsina states to reverse their decisions to shut down primary and secondary schools during the month of Ramadan because of the fasting of Muslim faithful.
Speaking in a chat with Vanguard about the two states’ decision to close down the schools until after the fasting period, the National President of NAPTAN, Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, said the decision was not in the best interest of students, parents and society as a whole.
According to him, there are other better ways the two states could encourage pupils, students and their teachers to observe the month without shutting down the schools.
“This is unnecessary. It will, in the end, bring further setbacks to the education system. In the first instance, it doesn’t mean all the pupils and students in the two states are Muslims. Also, it does not mean the two states are the only states where some pupils and students are Muslims.
“It will disrupt the academic calendar and the curriculum being followed. Also, remember that in those two states, there are students preparing for their external examinations, such as WASSCE and the ones conducted by NECO, NABTEB, etc. It will affect their preparations. If pupils and students are now asked to stay at home for a month and then resume to be administered terminal examinations, how does that sound? These are students who only resumed for the second term barely one month ago.
“As parents, we are strongly opposed to such an action, and we want the two states to reverse it. If they want to encourage pupils and students to take part in the fasting, there are other better ways to do so.
They can make provisions for the students and their teachers to be given food items to break their fast or even give them money. Asking them to stay at home is a disservice to the system. These are pupils and students that are being persuaded to go to school in the first instance,” he stated.
Danjuma added that students could be distracted during the forced holiday and may not be keen on going back to school again.
Recall that the Bauchi State government was the first to announce a few days ago that all primary and secondary schools in the state, whether public or private, should be closed during the Ramadan period.
It added that the schools would resume after the fasting period for examination for the second term to commence.
Katsina State also followed suit a day after. Many people are still confused about the reasons for such action. Although this is not the first time Muslim pupils and students are observing Ramadan in the country, no state government has ever issued such a directive.
RC: VANGUARD
