The Adamawa government says it has deboarded all public junior secondary schools (JSS) students to promote moral and parental upbringing.

The governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, made the announcement at the general assembly meeting and presentation of the 1443/2022 Islamic Hijra calendar organised by the Adamawa Muslim Council on Saturday.

Mr Fintiri, who was represented by the secretary to the state government, Bashir Ahmed, said that findings revealed that most of the children still require and need full parental care, love and attention and that their brains were not completely formed.

The governor asked that all junior boarding students attend the day secondary schools nearest to them.

He said that four special schools were exempted from the deboarding policy.

The schools are General Murtala College, Yola; Government Girls Secondary School, Yola; Special School, Mubi and Special School, Jada.

“The deboarding is in good faith, to enable the children to get primary parental upbringing.

“Parents should understand the present government’s policy of deboarding all Junior Secondary Schools in the state.

“The development is absolutely to enable parents to conclude their primary responsibility of moral inculcation in their wards at the formatting age.

“We are experiencing children of 10 to 12 years in boarding secondary schools and most of them cannot do anything for themselves.

“According to findings, most of the children still require and need full parental care, love and attention. Their brain is not completely formed.

“The policy will help the children get prepared properly to the level that they can be educated,” he said.

Commenting on the ongoing INEC Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, Mr Fintiri urged parents and all eligible citizens of the state to register to enable them to exercise their franchise.

Speaking further on the new Hijra Calendar, the governor described it as unique, as it guides Muslim faithful to observe many prescribed rituals.

Mr Fintiri urged the Muslim faithful to continue to live in peace with one another and to emphasise acquiring knowledge.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Adamawa Muslim Council, Gambo Jika, said that the objectives of the annual general meeting and the presentation of the Hijra Calendar was to appraise activities of the council in the preceding year.

Mr Jika said that the general assembly was the highest organ of the council which reviews, reports and accounts for its activities of the year.

He said that the event was also designed to launch the Hijra Calendar as well as deliberate on the proposed Muslim Hospital and other topical issues.