The Bauchi State government has directed the closure of all state-owned schools in the state.
The state Commissioner for Education in the state, Hajiya Jamila Dahiru, disclosed this at a news conference in Bauchi.
Dahiru said that the state government has also declared a two-day break for all the state-owned schools ahead of the Gubernatorial and the state House of Assembly elections on March 11.
“Students of day schools should remain at home on Friday 24 and Monday 27th February 2023 for the presidential elections and school activities are to resume on Tuesday 28th February 2023.
“For the gubernatorial elections, day students are to remain at home on Friday 10th, and Monday 13th March 2023.
“School activities are to resume on Tuesday 14th March 2023 while all Boarding School students are to remain in their respective schools during the break,” she said.
Dahiru explained that the reason for the break was to allow the teachers and the parents of the students to have proper preparations ahead of time.
She said the government was conscious that some of the students might be traveling with their parents to their local governments or areas of origin to cast their votes.
“We are also conscious that some of our teachers do participate in the activities of electioneering and so we want to give them the opportunity to prepare ahead,” she said.
While wishing both the teachers, parents, and students a hitch-free election, the commissioner reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the students’ welfare and the provision of qualitative education for the betterment of the state.