El-Rufai Denies Scrapping Easter Holiday For Schools, Says School Term ‘Not A Religious Issue’

Nasir El-Rufai

Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has declared that schools in the state will not go on holidays before the Easter festivities.

It is common practice among public and private-owned schools across the country to end the term before Easter.

Advertisement

But Mr. El-Rufai insists that while Good Friday and Easter Monday are established public holidays, which are mandatory and are declared by the Federal Government, state-owned schools in Kaduna will not be ending the second term before Easter.

According to him, the pupils will observe the declared holidays and afterwards, return back to school to complete the 12-weeks that make-up the term.

In a statement posted on his Facebook wall on Friday, the governor stated that “it is falsehood and baseless blackmail to suggest that schools must end the second term before Easter”.

El-Rufai, who is already in the eye of the storm over a controversial bill that seeks to license religious preachers in the state, stressed that “the school term is not a religious issue. The tendency to place a religious hue on everything is irresponsible”.

He added: “Pupils in Kaduna State will have their Easter break on the prescribed public holidays and return to school to conclude the second term.

“The curriculum is based on a 12-week term. The schools resumed for second term on 18 January and will complete the 12 weeks in April. Kaduna State will not curtail its school term to 10 weeks. Education cannot be abridged to appease prejudice”.

1 COMMENT