The Bauchi government has announced the closure of all schools in the state in preparation for the 2025 Ramadan fast for five weeks.

The announcement was stated in the approved school calendar for the 2024-2025 academic session in Bauchi.

While speaking in Bauchi on Friday, a spokesman for the education ministry, Jalaludeen Maina, said the holiday had already been incorporated into the calendar long before now.

He explained that the closure would take effect from March 1 to April 5.

Mr Maina said the closure affected all the institutions of learning, including all public and private primary, junior, and secondary schools and higher institutions of learning in the state.

“Yes, we are closing all our schools, and this is included in our 2024-2025 approved calendar for the academic session that our students are not going to do the Ramadan fasting while in school.

“The five-week holiday is for Ramadan fasting, and immediately after the fasting, they will resume and continue with their academics,” he said.

Meanwhile, some parents in Bauchi have lamented that the development would adversely impact their children’s educational progress.

Sunita Joseph, who expressed frustration at the development, statd that the period was too long.

“Why would Ramadan break be too long like this? The children may have even started forgetting what they had learned before the break,” she said.

Ismail Raji called on the Bauchi government to reconsider the decision, adding that it could further encourage out-of-school children syndrome.

Mohammed Isa, who frowned upon the development, reminded the Bauchi government that the state had the highest number of out-of-school children.

He said that the government should develop projects and programmes that would encourage parents to send their wards to school. 

(NAN)