HURIWA accused Northern governors shutting schools for Ramadan fast of discrimination since Catholic Christians also fast for 40 days*
Civil society group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has described as unconstitutional, discriminatory and insensitive, the arbitrary closure of public educational institutions in some Northern states for a month to mark the Muslim Ramadan fasting period.Besides, HURIWA said it is unjust to close down schools just for Muslim fasting whereas Catholic Christians also fast for 40 days and no state government in any of the Christian dominated states have ordered the closure of public and private schools for the 40-days fasting period of Christians. The Rights group said it is absolutely despicable for the educational rights of citizens to be violated on the ground of closing down of schools for the Ramadan fast which is a religious practice of some citizens. HURIWA said even in well-known Muslim nations in the middle-East, schools aren’t disrupted because of the Ramadan fast just as the Rights group warned against politicising religion in Nigeria. It’s grotesque and entirely unacceptable that state governments could trample on the constitutional rights of Nigerians of other faith and belief-systems who reside and do their lawful business in those Northern Nigerian states, for the governments in clear breach of section 10 which prohibits the recognition of any religion as the state religion, to forcefully shut down public and private educational institutions, HURIWA affirms.The National Coordinator of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko said historically, schools have always operated except when there is a planned holiday in line with the educational calendar just as the Rights group pointedly blames religious extremism and overzealous tendencies of politicians seeking to politicise religious observation of the Ramadan fasting for the controversial closure of schools for one month. The Rights group said shutting down schools for the fasting period isn’t so much different from the boko haram ideology which views education as being against their brand of Islam. HURIWA carpeted these Northern Nigerian governors waging ideological war against education under the guise of observing Ramadan fast of underdeveloping the good citizens of their respective states. HURIWA recalled that the Kebbi, Bauchi and Kano State governments have reaffirmed that the holiday granted to both primary and secondary schools in their states for Ramadan fast will not be reconsidered, despite concerns raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria.HURIWA recalled with profound disappointment that the Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi State governor, Ahmed Idris, stated that the decision to shut down schools for a month in Kebbi state was made after consulting all relevant stakeholders, including religious leaders and parents.“We are not reversing the decision. The closure of the schools was a result of meetings with all relevant stakeholders, including religious leaders, parents, and others. The leadership of CAN and the Muslim community were carried along before the decision was reached,” Idris said.He further explained that the closure would only affect a maximum of two weeks from the initial academic calendar, emphasising that it would not disrupt school activities.“Our normal school calendar already factored in closures during the fasting period. So, the issue of disrupting the academic calendar does not arise,” he added.Similarly, the Kano State Director of Public Enlightenment in the state’s Ministry of Education, Balarabe Kiru, said there is no reason why the state government would reverse the directive as the decision to close the schools was taken after a meeting with all relevant stakeholders.“There was a stakeholders’ meeting at the federal level during which the Christian Association of Nigeria was fully represented.“More so, members of the State Executive Council have also agreed on the academic calendar. So there is no way we can reverse the directive. There is no going back on the decision so far taken with the knowledge and agreement of all stakeholders and the State Executive Council,” Kiru said.Also, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Lawal Zayam, said the decision to close schools would not be reviewed.According to him, the holiday was captured in the 2024/2025 academic calendar of the state long at the beginning of the session.Zayam said, “We have not done anything extraordinary. Before we drafted the 2024/2025 session calendar, the stakeholders’ input was considered.“The stakeholders were the ones who propel this solution, especially the private school owners whose state chairman is a Christian.“This has nothing to do with our academic calendar because, after the resumption, the students will have two weeks of studies to complete their second term before moving on to the third term.”Stressing that all relevant stakeholders were carried along, the commissioner added, “We equally consulted other states, which we have exchanged programmes with before a memo was raised for the calendar and got approved by the governor.”However, CAN in the 19 northern states and Abuja, on Monday, condemned the school closures in Kebbi and other Shariah-practicing states, including Bauchi, Katsina, and Kano, where schools have been shut for five weeks.In a statement issued in Kaduna, Northern CAN Chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, expressed concern that the closures would negatively impact students preparing for crucial examinations, including the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Junior Secondary School exams.“We are worried about these closures, especially considering the setbacks already faced by students in most northern states due to rising insecurity. The decision could further hinder educational progress,” Hayab said.He also noted that many of the children affected by the closures are under 14 years old and may not yet be religiously mature enough to observe fasting.“Additionally, the recent Multidimensional Poverty Index by the National Bureau of Statistics highlights the educational challenges in these states, with Bauchi at 54%, Kebbi at 45%, Katsina at 38%, and Kano at 35% of children lacking access to education,” he added.Hayab pointed out that even in predominantly Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, schools remain open during Ramadan, urging northern governors to adopt a similar approach.“Instead of shutting down schools, a better approach would be to reduce school hours, allowing students and teachers time to observe fasting without compromising education. We have consulted Islamic scholars, and they confirmed that these school closures are more about political expediency than religious necessity,” he argued.Consequently, CAN called on northern governors to reconsider their stance and prioritise education.“CAN Northern Nigeria, therefore, wishes to appeal to governors of northern Nigeria, especially those who are championing this kind of ill-advised idea, to stop presenting our region in a bad light and make people laugh at us as if we are unserious people.“As a peace-loving organisation, CAN call on the people to remain calm and law-abiding and challenge stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to address the matter amicably.HURIWA in its reaction said the practice of shutting down schools for fasting period for Muslims is discriminatory since adherents of Roman Catholicism who constitute a greater bulk of Christians in Northern and Southern Nigeria are observing a 40 days fasting period from Ash Wednesday which would amount to discriminatory practice if only Muslims’s fasting period is considered whereas that of Catholics is denied. HURIWA cited section 42.-(1) of the Nigerian Constitution which provides that: “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person-(a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizen of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or(b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizen Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.(2) No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth.HURIWA has therefore asked the governors of the Northern states that have arbitrarily shut down educational institutions for the Ramadan fast to direct the schools to be reopened without any further breach of the constitution just as Section 10 of the Constitution provides that: “The Government of the Federation or of a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion”.Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko National Coordinator,HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). 04/03/2025.
