Author: The Nation

Niger State govermment has disclosed that it will reopen selected public and private schools on Monday, January 12, 2026, but only in locations security agencies have cleared as safe. 

The phased resumption follows a security review ordered by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago. 

The shutdown of schools began in late November after gunmen attacked St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, in one of the worst mass abductions in recent years. The kidnappings prompted the state to close schools across the state.

Dr. Hadiza Mohammed, Niger state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, told newsmen after an emergenct inter-ministerial meeting on safe schools reopening that the reopening will be phased and limited to schools approved by a joint committee of the ministry, local authorities and security agencies. 

She said phase one would include schools in Chanchaga local government, parts of Boso, Suleja and Bida stressing that the schools to be opened were specifically those inside town centres, not those on the outskirts. 

“Some schools actually will open on Monday, 12th of January, and we are going to start the opening of our schools in phases. That is why we said we are opening just the selected schools that we are agreed upon by the committee, Ministry of Education and her agencies, with a security confirmation and approval for the opening. And we continue like that until we get to all other schools.

“We cannot at once give the confirmation of reopening of our schools because of the crisis we are in, security-wise. So we have to take them in phases, and the phase one, we open on the 12th, Monday, 2026. We are starting with few local governments for the opening on Monday, and we continue to graduate to other schools.”

Read Also: Youth leaders laud Dr. Mustapha for transforming Nigeria’s energy sector

The commissioner said local governments, not the state alone, must provide visible security presence around schools to reassure parents, pupils and communities. “The local government is the closest to the community,” she said, adding that security confirmation and approval will be required before any school reopens.

The Commissioner stated that to keep learning going in areas that remain closed, the ministry is planning to roll out alternative options including online lessons, radio broadcasts and other remote-learning devices so pupils can continue studies at home or in safe local spaces stressing that “learning will continue” despite the phased resumption.

“Learning will continue. We are putting in place the next alternative solution for some of our schools that are yet not to be opened. We are planning to make provision for online lessons, both radio and we have other devices that can be used for learning lessons either at home or anywhere you find yourself. So anywhere we are, learning must continue either under the tree or in your room or anywhere during holidays, security or no security, learning must continue. So the device, the methods and alternative strategic plans are being worked upon”, the Commissioner said.

The state Director General for Schools and Education Reforms, Hajiya Maimuna Mohammed said the phased approach will allow education officials to re-register students, collect up-to-date data and assess teacher numbers and classroom capacity before scaling resumption. 

She warned some schools on the outskirts will remain closed until security clears those areas adding that the planned reopening of Kontagora has been deferred after a security incident there, reducing the number of schools including boarding schools approved to resume. 

The DG said 45 boarding schools exist in the state, and that 18 would open under the current security clearances after the Kontagora suspension.

She however pointed out that the government has ruled out schools operating boarding facilities for primary school students or orphanages. 

“We have to have clarity on where children are and what type of children. Because if you are adding orphans inside school, you are putting them in danger. If there is crisis, who do we evacuate? And we will not be able to have complete data. We are not discouraging that you should not open an orphanage, It is very helpful to the city, to the community but open it separate from the school premises. And also, we intend to stop schools from operating boarding schools for primary schools.”