The National Association of Nigerian Students has threatened to embark on nationwide protests if the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states fail to reopen schools shutdown for five weeks for the Ramadan fast within 72 hours.
In a statement issued on Monday by the National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, the students union national body described the school shut down as an infringement on the right of every student to uninterrupted education in the States.
Adeyemi said, the policy will threaten academic progress and discriminate against non-Muslim students in the States.
The NANS national PRO stressed that such a move would set a bad precedent in the Nigerian education sector if unchallenged.
“The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS National Body) vehemently condemns the recent directive by the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states to close schools during the holy month of Ramadan.
“This policy is not only unjust but also a blatant infringement on the fundamental rights of students to receive uninterrupted education”, Adeyemi said.
However, NANS has issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the policy to be reversed as it threatened to embark on a nationwide protest.
Adeyemi further called on other stakeholders to join the student body in ensuring that student’s rights are protected.
“NANS demands the immediate reversal of this policy and issues a 72-hour ultimatum to the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states to take corrective action and reopen schools.”
“Failure to comply will result in nationwide protests and legal actions to protect the rights of Nigerian students.
“We urge all stakeholders, including parents, educators, and civil society organisations, to join us in this fight to ensure that education remains a priority for all Nigerian students. We must work together to prevent any form of discrimination and uphold the principles of equality and justice,” the statement said further.
This development comes amid similar concerns raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which also rejected the decision and threatened legal action.
