Anambra State ends Monday sit-at-home with a new executive order, mandating school resumption and threatening salary deductions to restore learning and productivity.
The Anambra State Government has taken a decisive step to restore normal academic and economic life by issuing an executive order that mandates full resumption of work and schooling on Mondays.
The directive, which carries strict salary sanctions, is aimed at ending years of disruption that have affected education, governance, and livelihoods across the state.
At the centre of the policy shift is the official termination of the Monday sit-at-home practice, which authorities say has outlived its original purpose.
The order was formally communicated through a circular dated January 22, 2026, and signed by Loveline Mgbemena, Board Secretary of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB).
Addressed to permanent board members, zonal directors, education officers in charge of the state’s 21 local government areas, and departmental heads, the letter directs immediate compliance by all schools and education offices.
Senior officials were instructed to circulate the directive widely and ensure that no staff member treats Mondays as a non-working day.
According to the circular, the decision followed deliberations at a State Executive Council retreat held on January 21, 2026, under the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.
Government officials at the retreat reportedly reviewed the long-term effects of the Monday sit-at-home culture on public services and concluded that decisive action was necessary to protect the future of education and economic productivity in the state.
Under the new rules, any teacher or non-teaching staff member who fails to report for duty on a Monday risks losing 20 per cent of their monthly salary.
In cases of repeated defiance, the worker may forfeit their entire pay for the period in question.
The government described the directive as an executive decision that must be enforced without exception, stressing that excuses or informal arrangements would no longer be tolerated.
The origins of the weekly shutdown date back to August 9, 2021, when the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) announced a sit-at-home protest across the South-East.
The action was intended to pressure the Federal Government over the detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Schools, markets, banks, and motor parks were ordered to shut down, while residents were urged to remain indoors.
Over time, the Monday sit-at-home became deeply entrenched in Anambra, even after IPOB publicly announced its suspension.
Despite that announcement, fear of attacks, intimidation, and reprisals meant that many residents continued to stay indoors on Mondays.
Public offices often recorded skeletal attendance, while schools struggled with irregular academic calendars.
Parents complained of lost teaching hours, and students were forced to compress syllabuses into shorter weeks, affecting learning outcomes and examination performance.
The Soludo administration has consistently argued that the prolonged shutdown has had devastating consequences.
Officials say it has weakened the education system, reduced internally generated revenue, discouraged investment, and worsened poverty among traders and daily wage earners.
In several public engagements, the governor maintained that the Monday sit-at-home was no longer justified and that restoring normalcy was essential for the state’s development.
However, the new order has also generated anxiety among education workers and parents.
Some teachers insist that their absence on Mondays has been driven more by genuine security concerns than by political sympathy.
They argue that without visible improvements in security, compelling staff to resume work could expose them to danger.
Labour unions have also called for dialogue, urging the government to pair enforcement with stronger security measures around schools and public institutions.
In response, government officials say the executive order is part of a broader strategy to reclaim public spaces and demonstrate state authority.
They insist that law enforcement agencies have been directed to improve patrols and reassure residents.
According to officials, allowing fear to dictate public life would only prolong instability and deny children their right to uninterrupted education.
Education advocates have welcomed the policy with cautious optimism.
Many believe that consistent school attendance will help restore discipline to the academic calendar and improve learning outcomes.
They argue that once schools reopen fully and parents regain confidence, the ripple effect will revive markets, transport services, and other sectors that depend on weekday activity.
Ultimately, the Anambra State Government appears determined to bring an end to the disruption that has lingered for years.
By linking compliance to salaries, authorities are sending a strong signal that the era of the Monday sit-at-home must give way to stability, productivity, and normal civic life.
Whether the policy succeeds will depend not only on enforcement, but also on the government’s ability to address lingering security fears and win the trust of citizens.
Ireport247news
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