Zamfara Delays School Resumption by Two Weeks Over Diphtheria
As pupils and students across Nigeria return to classrooms today for the first term of the 2026/2027 academic session, children in Zamfara State will have to wait another two weeks before returning to school.
The Zamfara State Government has extended the resumption of all public and private schools in the state to Monday, September 28, 2026, following concerns over the prevailing diphtheria situation.
The decision means that while families in many parts of the country are preparing for the new school term, parents in Zamfara have been asked to keep their children at home a little longer as health authorities step up measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam, announced the extension in a statement, saying the decision was taken to protect pupils, students, teachers and the wider school community.
Gajam said the additional two weeks would give health and education authorities more time to strengthen disease surveillance, conduct contact tracing, verify vaccination status and intensify public sensitisation.
He also directed school proprietors, heads of schools and management boards to comply with the extension.
Beyond keeping classrooms empty, schools have been asked to use the period to thoroughly clean and decontaminate their premises and provide adequate hand-washing facilities ahead of reopening.
Parents and guardians were also urged to cooperate with health authorities by ensuring that their children participate in vaccination, screening and other recommended preventive measures.
The Commissioner said the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology would continue to work with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to ensure that schools provide a safe and healthy environment when students eventually return.
The new resumption date is Monday, September 28, 2026, subject to confirmation with the approved academic calendar.
The State Government appealed for the understanding and cooperation of parents, teachers, school proprietors, traditional institutions, Local Government Councils and other education stakeholders as authorities work to contain the health threat.
For Zamfara families, the two-week delay is an interruption to the school calendar, but authorities say the priority is to ensure that when children return to their classrooms, they do so in a safer environment.
