Amidst the controversy of school closure for Ramadan, the Katsina state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, through its Public Relations Officer, Sani Danjuma, on Tuesday said the government has arranged special extra lessons for Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) candidates in public, private, and community schools.
He defended the decision to close schools during Ramadan, insisting that academic disruptions will be minimised despite concerns over the state’s high out-of-school children rates explaining that the move aimed to balance religious observance with academic continuity.
The statement reads, “In response to ongoing discussions about school operations, the ministry has developed a strategy to minimise academic disruption while recognising the challenges posed by Ramadan.”
He further explained that the decision considered extreme weather conditions in northern Nigeria and the unique difficulties faced by students and teachers during fasting as well reminding the public of an existing state law mandating school closures during Ramadan.
Several groups and individuals had raised concerns over the impact of the closure especially when students supposed to be preparing for various national examinations which falls between the period and after Ramadan.
The ministry assured that extra lessons organised, starting on March 3, 2025, would be structured to accommodate both students and teachers observing Ramadan while considering environmental conditions.