Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Anambra State Government has officially abolished the long‑standing practice of school closures on Mondays linked to the so‑called “sit‑at‑home” order that has disrupted education and daily life in the southeastern Nigerian state for years. In a decisive move aimed at restoring regular academic routines, authorities have warned that teachers and school staff who fail to report for duty on Mondays risk having up to 80 percent of their salary withheld or forfeited entirely.
Issued in a letter dated January 22 and signed by Loveline Mgbemena, Board Secretary of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, the directive announced the termination of the sit‑at‑home closures with immediate effect. The communique was dispatched to education administrators across all 21 local government areas and instructed them to ensure strict compliance among both teaching and non‑teaching staff.
The letter, titled the “Executive Order on Termination of Monday Sit‑At‑Home in Anambra State,” makes clear that the weekly closures are no longer sanctioned by the government and that any employee absent from school on Mondays will face severe financial sanctions, including the possibility of receiving only 20 percent of their pay or none at all. School directors and zonal education officers have been tasked with communicating the order and enforcing attendance.
The weekly sit‑at‑home observance originally emerged in August 2021 when the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist organisation, declared every Monday a day of restricted movement in the South‑East. The directive was intended as pressure on authorities to secure the release of IPOB’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and was widely observed by businesses, markets and schools amid reports of enforcement through intimidation and sporadic violence.
Although IPOB’s leadership has since announced that the sit‑at‑home order is abolished, many residents continued to observe it out of fear of reprisals, leading to repeated disruptions of education and economic activity in Anambra and neighbouring states.
For many families and educators, the Monday closures translated into irregular academic calendars, lost instructional time and widened learning gaps. Human rights advocates and education stakeholders have long raised alarms about the adverse impact on student outcomes, school operations and the broader right to education in the region.
Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who presided over a state executive council retreat on January 21 where the decision was finalised, has consistently advocated for ending the sit‑at‑home practice, framing it as a hindrance to social and economic development. Officials have expressed concern that the ritual not only compromised classroom learning but also chipped away at public service delivery, commerce, transportation and investor confidence across the state.
The punitive element of the policy is designed to reinforce compliance. Education sector administrators have been instructed to monitor attendance closely and to apply the sanctions strictly — a measure that has sparked debate among stakeholders about fairness and practicality. Government officials argue that the approach is necessary to break entrenched patterns of absenteeism, particularly given the extended period during which Monday closures became customary.
The government’s announcement has elicited mixed reactions. Some parents and school leaders have expressed cautious optimism, viewing the directive as a long‑awaited step towards educational normalcy and stability. They hope that regular Monday attendance will help make up for lost instructional time and bring academic schedules back in line with national standards.
At the same time, some civil society groups and workers’ representatives have raised concerns about the economic burden of punitive salary measures, particularly for lower‑paid staff who may face hardship if they miss work. Critics argue that while ending the sit‑at‑home is laudable, the enforcement strategy must consider worker welfare and potential safety risks in certain communities where insecurity persists.
Security considerations remain a central concern. In recent years, sit‑at‑home observance was often enforced through threats, and in some cases violence, leaving many residents wary of defying the tradition even after official calls to resume normal activity. Government confidence in the new directive rests in part on reported improvements in security and a stronger presence of law enforcement agencies on Mondays.
Community leaders have underscored that lasting success will require not just enforcement but also deeper engagement with underlying grievances that fuel voluntary observance of protest actions. Some residents in Anambra and across the South‑East have linked sit‑at‑home observance to broader demands for justice, equity and regional recognition, suggesting that political dialogue and inclusive governance are essential complements to policy shifts.
The termination of Monday closures in schools could have far‑reaching implications beyond education. Analysts suggest that facilitating full‑week operations may help revitalise commerce, restore public confidence and strengthen social routines long disrupted by the sit‑at‑home phenomenon. These outcomes would be particularly significant as Nigeria navigates broader economic and security challenges.
For now, the policy change positions Anambra State at the forefront of efforts to normalise daily life in the South‑East, testing whether a combination of executive resolve and community cooperation can overcome patterns of disruption that have persisted for years. School administrators are preparing to enforce the order in the coming weeks, and all eyes are on attendance trends, student performance and public response as the new academic rhythm takes hold.
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