The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared its intention to initiate nationwide protests if the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano, and Kebbi states do not reverse their decision to close schools for five weeks during Ramadan. This ultimatum has been set for a 72-hour period.

In a statement released by NANS, the organization condemned the school closures, describing them as a violation of students’ rights to continuous education. The association expressed concern that this policy not only threatens academic progress but also discriminates against non-Muslim students. NANS highlighted that allowing such a decision to stand would create a dangerous precedent in the Nigerian education sector.

NANS’s Public Relations Officer articulated that the directive undermines the fundamental rights of students to receive an uninterrupted education. The statement emphasized that the Nigerian constitution, along with various international treaties, guarantees the right to education for all citizens, and the closure of schools during Ramadan contradicts these principles.

The association has demanded the immediate reversal of the policy, warning that failure to act would provoke protests and legal measures to safeguard the rights of Nigerian students. They called on all stakeholders, including parents, educators, and civil society organizations, to join their efforts in ensuring that educational access remains a priority for all students, regardless of their religious affiliations.

In a related development, another organization has also threatened legal action against the four governors if the school closures persist. This group has described the decision as discriminatory, raising alarms about its potential to worsen the educational crisis in the northern states, which already account for a significant percentage of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

The unfolding situation has sparked widespread discussions regarding the implications of the school closures on students’ educational rights and the need for inclusive policies that uphold equality in education.