By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government through the Ministry of Education has directed all Secondary and Primary schools in the State to proceed on holidays during the month of Ramadan.
The directive affects all Private schools including faith base schools that do not observe the month of Ramadan as all schools operating in the state are expected to be closed for the next 40.days.
The development is to allow the Muslim students and pupils stay at home with their parents to observe the 30 days fasting of the Ramadan month.
Ramadan: Parents groan as Bauchi shut schools for one month
However, the development has been greeted with mixed reactions as Parents have expressed confusion over the shut down of the schools for one month.
The parents who cut across religious divide described the situation as needless considering the fact the students are expected to write series of national examinations in the following months, wondering how they will cope from home.
Some of the parents who responded to enquiries said that they are worried for their children’s education while noting that most children will forget all they have been taught when they are faced with their exams immediately after the forced break.
Amos Ayuba has Three children at Immaculate Academy and is worried that one of the children in SS3 will find it pretty difficult when it is time to write the series of examinations ahead of her.
He however appealed to the State government to reconsider the development and make it optional for schools particularly, faith based schools to adopt the policy or make all schools close early everyday in order to make it all inclusive.
Amos Ayuba said that, “I am really confused, seriously. I had hoped that before this kind of policy goes mainstream, parents’ would be carried along, because after all, we are the most affected by such policies.”
He added that, “I thought that they would at least make it optional for schools to adopt the policy because it’s not in all parts of Bauchi that people are fasting. If they must make it a State-wide policy, why not reduce the hours spent in school so that the children can close early?” .
Another parent who has children at St Paul’s School lamented that children will forget all they have learnt when they return to write their exams after 40 days away from schools.
According to him, “Honestly, this will be counter productive. How can you reconcile teaching children for 2 months and sending them on a one month break, then you ask them to write exams immediately after they returned from the break? I can’t understand it.”
A mother, who pleaded anonymity because she is a Moslem stated that, “The State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, who, in my opinion, has done very well in many other aspects including education, should look into this policy so that the system he has fought so hard to build will not collapse.”
Reacting to the development, Association of Christian Private Schools opined that staying home for Five (5) weeks and resuming to conclude the term will definitely affect the preparations of students towards external examinations (WAEC, NECO, andJAMB) since the syllabi may not be covered.
Chairman of the Association, Rev Musa Bogoro Zakka in a letter to the State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that, “The proposed calendar will surely damage the morals of students who are expected to return and start writing examinations, and continue another term without break for 14 weeks while teachers’ mark record and are still expected to discharge their duties
simultaneously and seamlessly.”
He stressed that,”The enforcement of the proposed Ramadan break may disrupt peaceful coexistence between Christian and Muslim students mentally as it may be perceived as forcing all students to remain at home regardless of their religious affiliations.”
According to him,”But if it is made
optional as has always been, it will encourage and entrench flexibility and tolerance in educational policy of the Ministry of Education in line with the core principles of the Executive Governor – Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed who has demonstrated inclusiveness in all his government policies and administration in which the Christian community is very proud of.”
“Another critical issue is that the closure is restricted to only nursery, primary and
secondary schools in the state while tertiary institutions, civil servants and other private sectors go on their normal activities. It gives the impression that private sector education is being undermined and marginalized,” he added.
According to him,”We had hoped as always that the calendar be kept optional while the needs of our Muslim students are taken into consideration by adjusting the timetable for lessons to close earlier than usual.”
He added that, “We are also aware that the flexibility exhibited in academic planning by past Commissioners of Education in Bauchi State has greatly entrenched the value of peaceful coexistence.”
According to him, “Partnership between private and public schools built a robust
collaboration with the Ministry who has been providing policy and supervision to all schools under it, yet noting the peculiarities of private sector education so that parents have value for the funds expended on school fees. If this is sustained, we will be very grateful.”
“In conclusion, we hold in high esteem the religious and moral benefits of Ramadan fasting as it entrenches the tenets of both learning and character in our various institutions. All we are asking is that instead of outright closure of all nursery, primary, and secondary schools in the state, it can be made OPTIONAL while the government in its usual magnanimity makes adequate and sufficient provision to take good care of our boarding Muslim students and give the usual Sallah celebration holidays,” he concluded.
