The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has condemned a directive issued by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council asking basic schools in the Bawku municipality to remain closed until the late Hawa Yakubu is buried. Schools across the country re-opened on Wednesday except those in the Bawku municipality, which are expected to re-open on Tuesday, May 8, because of the funeral of the late Hawa Yakubu. The late Hawa who previously served as MP for the area for eight years, would be buried at Pusiga near Bawku at the weekend. Mr. Ayariga told Joy News the decision to delay children’s return to school was unacceptable and should be revoked. “The funeral is going to take place on the 6th of May, which is a Saturday and the burial itself is going to take place in Pusiga, which is several kilometers away from Bawku town itself and I do not see why the secondary and primary should be denied their right to reopen for children to have access to the schools because a former member of Parliament is deceased. The country is saddened and we sympathize with the family, but I do not see a relationship between that and denying children access to their schools for close to four working days.” Mr. Ayariga said he had made efforts to contact the Regional Coordinating Council about the situation but was yet to receive a response on the matter.