Academic activities appears to be returning to Northern Nigeria following the announcement of reopening of selected schools by Kebbi and Kwara state governments.
Recall that terrorists attacks and kidnapping of scores of students led to the shutting of schools in parts of the region.
Announcing the reopening of schools on Sunday, Kebbi State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Halimatu Bande, pointed out that the government approved the resumption of selected primary and secondary schools located in major cities and towns.
He added that the resumption which takes effect from Monday, January 5, 2026, applies only to schools within urban centres.
He explained that schools in rural areas will reopen when the security situation improves.
“Only schools located within major cities and towns are approved to resume at this stage,” Bande said. “Schools outside these areas will reopen at a later date, which will be communicated in due course.”
She directed Education Secretaries and Zonal Directors to enforce compliance and monitor implementation, while appealing to parents and guardians to ensure that their children return to school promptly.
In Kwara State, the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development directed the resumption of academic activities in all schools from today (Monday).
The directive, issued by the ministry’s Press Secretary, Peter Amogbonjaye, quoted the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, as saying that learning will resume immediately, except in areas still under “special security measures.”
“Learning activities are to resume immediately in all but areas earlier identified to be under special security surveillance,” the statement said. “Normal school activities will resume in such places very soon.”
The move follows a November 2025 directive that temporarily closed schools in several local government areas, including Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, and Oke Ero, in response to escalating insecurity and bandit attacks.
The closures were aimed at safeguarding pupils and teachers and were part of broader emergency responses to violent incidents in the state.
