The Anambra State Government has issued an Executive Order putting an end to the Monday closure of schools linked to the sit-at-home directive.
Under the new order, teachers and non-teaching staff who fail to report for duty on Mondays risk receiving only 20 per cent of their monthly salaries or losing them completely.
The directive was contained in a January 22, 2026 letter signed by the Board Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Loveline Mgbemena.
In the correspondence, Mgbemena instructed all permanent board members, officers overseeing the 21 local government education authorities, zonal directors and heads of departments to ensure full compliance with the directive across their jurisdictions.
The Board Secretary explained that the decision followed a State Executive Council retreat held on January 21, 2026, where Governor Chukwuma Soludo presided over deliberations.
The letter, titled ‘Executive Order on termination of Monday sit-at-home in Anambra State,’ emphasised that the directive applies to all categories of staff.
Part of the correspondence read, “Following the state exco retreat held on January 21, 2026, under the chairmanship of Governor Soludo, I am mandated to notify you that the state government has abolished the protracted Monday sit-at-home in Anambra State with immediate effect.
“Under this directive, any member of staff, whether teaching or non-teaching, who fails to report to school or office on Mondays will face salary deductions, receiving only 20 per cent of their entitlement or forfeiting it entirely.
“You are required to communicate the contents of this letter to all personnel under your supervision and ensure strict compliance.”
The letter concluded with a stern reminder that the directive represents an executive decision of the state government.
It would be recalled that the Indigenous People of Biafra had, on August 9, 2021, through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, declared Mondays as sit-at-home days pending the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The group had ordered the closure of schools, markets and motor parks across the South-East every Monday.
Though IPOB’s leadership subsequently cancelled the order, residents have continued to observe it largely out of fear of violent reprisals.