By Philip Yatai
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Executive Council has approved two major contracts for the procurement and distribution of examination materials to all public primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools across the territory.
Dr Danlami Hayyo, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, disclosed this after the FCTA Executive Council meeting chaired by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Hayyo said the contracts were aimed at ensuring smooth and effective administration of examinations across the various levels of public education in the FCT.
He explained that the procurement became necessary against the backdrop of a significant increase in enrolment in public schools across the territory.
According to him, the increase in enrolment was largely driven by the extensive renovation, rehabilitation and upgrading of public schools by the current administration.
Hayyo said the improved facilities had encouraged many parents to withdraw their children from private schools and enrol them in public schools.
“This contract is very important, especially now that many parents in the FCT community are removing their children from private schools and bringing them back to public schools.”
The mandate secretary attributed the development to the transformation of public schools, noting that renovated facilities and improved learning environments were restoring public confidence in the education system.
“This shift is due to the total renovation and rehabilitation of FCT schools, which could now be compared to those in developed countries.”
Hayyo emphasised that with well-furnished classrooms, renovated facilities and the provision of instructional materials, inadequate infrastructure could no longer be blamed for poor academic performance in FCT public schools.
He, however, explained that students’ academic performance depended on several factors, including conducive learning environments, teacher motivation, staff welfare and continuous professional development.
Hayyo attributed some recent declines in academic performance to recurring industrial actions by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), rather than deficiencies in school infrastructure.
“If you compare the performance of our students and pupils in FCT over recent years, the challenges noticed came as a result of industrial action,” he said, adding that “primary school teachers previously closed schools for almost a complete term.”
The education secretary also clarified that the welfare and payment of primary school teachers fall under the jurisdiction of the area councils and not directly under the FCTA.
He said Wike had intervened to resolve the issue, with the FCTA undertaking to cover 40 per cent of outstanding teacher entitlements, while the area councils would settle the remaining 60 per cent.
According to him, the administration also releases N2 billion monthly as an intervention fund for settling outstanding arrears owed to area council teachers.
Hayyo said the measures, coupled with improved school infrastructure and the provision of examination materials, were expected to strengthen the education system. (NAN)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
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