Christians, unions in uproar as four Nigerian states close schools for Ramadan

Four predominantly Muslim states in northern Nigeria have ordered the closure of schools for the holy month of Ramadan, drawing the threat of nationwide protests Monday from an education union.

In an unusual decision that was also criticised by Christian groups, authorities in Kano, Katsina, Bauchi and Kebbi states last week closed primary and secondary schools in the middle of the term to enable pupils to observe the Ramadan fast at home.

Nigeria is roughly evenly split between Christians and Muslims, with a Muslim-majority north and Christian-majority south. Though millions live side by side, Africa's most populous nation has seen, throughout its history, outbursts of tension and violence across religious lines.

Schools in the north typically continue into Ramadan so as not to disrupt the academic calendar.

But in a statement last week, Kano's education ministry ordered all schools in the state to close that Friday and reopen April 7, at which point they will have two weeks to conclude the term and issue terminal exams.

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Governments in the north -- including Kano, Katsina, Bauchi and Kebbi, which all adopted sharia law in the last two decades -- have been known to play up their religious bona fides in order to score political points among voters.

Adding to tensions, Aminu Usman, the head of Katsina's Hisbah morality police, issued a statement pushing private schools to also close for Ramadan, warning "non-compliance will not be tolerated".

The school closures have elicited sharp criticism from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which threatened legal action against the four state governments.

In a statement, NANS said on Monday that it "vehemently condemns the recent directive by the governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kano and Kebbi states."

The students' union threatened to go on nationwide street protests if the four states did not rescind the school closures.

The decision "undermines the academic progress of students, disrupts their learning, and unfairly targets non-Muslim students, subjecting them to undue discrimination," NANS said.

It also accused authorities of the four states of setting "a dangerous precedent" by prioritising religious observances over students' right to education.

Over the weekend, CAN issued a statement condemning the school closures and threatened legal action if the affected states did not reverse the decision, which "threatens the educational advancement of millions of students".

The four affected states have not publicly responded to the criticisms.