Zamfara State Government has asked parents not to send unwell children to school when classes resume on Monday, 28 September, 2026. This is part of new rules to stop diphtheria from spreading again.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abdulmalik Gajam, signed the directive. It applies to every public and private school in the state, including Islamic and Qur’anic school centres.
The rules matter because they show that reopening schools comes with duties for parents and teachers, not just students.
Why schools are reopening now
The Ministry of Health told the education ministry that the diphtheria situation had improved. Diphtheria is an infection that affects the throat and can make breathing hard if not treated early.
Based on this advice, the state government decided schools could reopen safely. But the ministry also warned that schools and communities must stay alert and keep up preventive steps.
What schools and parents must now do
School authorities have been told to check pupils, students and staff every day for symptoms that look like diphtheria.
Any suspected case must be reported to health authorities without delay. Any child or staff member showing symptoms must not join school activities until a doctor checks them.
Schools must also make sure pupils wash their hands properly and cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Classrooms should have good airflow, and schools should reduce overcrowding where they can. Schools are also expected to support the planned vaccination campaign against diphtheria.
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Parents were told clearly not to send sick children to school. Instead, they should seek medical help quickly and report any illness they notice.
Schools have also been asked to teach pupils, teachers and parents more about diphtheria, and to pick specific staff members who will handle health reporting.
These rules mean that keeping schools open now depends on daily teamwork between parents, teachers and health workers. If a family or school ignores the warning signs, the disease could spread again and force another shutdown.
Parents now carry real responsibility, since one sick child sent to school could put many others at risk. Schools that fail to watch pupils closely may also struggle to catch new cases early.
What readers should know
Diphtheria can spread easily among children who are close to each other, which is why schools are a high-risk setting.
The state government said the health and safety of children remained its priority.
It called on schools, parents and communities to work with health officials to keep schools safe.
Anyone who suspects a diphtheria case can contact the Director of Public Health on 07039605038, the State Epidemiologist on 08166664263, or the State Disease Notification Officer on 07062227171.
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