Abstract

This paper analyses the legal and policy dimensions of religious freedom in education, focusing on the recent Ramadan-related school closures in Northern Nigeria. It examines the constitutional and international human rights implications of such policies, especially their compatibility with Nigeria’s secular framework under Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution. Using a proportionality approach, the paper assesses how religious accommodations can be balanced in a pluralistic democracy without infringing on the rights of others. Relying on Nigerian case law and comparative jurisprudence, including European Court of Human Rights decisions, it argues that state-mandated school closures for religious observance constitute an impermissible endorsement of religion. These policies violate the rights to education, religious freedom, and non- discrimination, thereby breaching both constitutional and international obligations. The paper concludes by stressing the importance of maintaining state neutrality in religious affairs to safeguard individual rights and promote national cohesion in a diverse and democratic society.