EDUCATION SECRETARY PLEADS WITH NUT TO CALL OFF STRIKE AHEAD OF WAEC EXAMINATION
By: Hauwa Mahmud Madugu and Shulammite Obianuju Nkemdilim.
The FCT Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, has appealed to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to call off its ongoing strike and allow students, particularly final year candidates, to sit for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) without disruption.
Dr. Hayyo made the appeal during an inspection tour across FCT schools on Monday 20th April 2026 to mark the resumption of third-term activities for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Addressing journalists during the tour, the Secretary emphasized the importance of uninterrupted learning, urging the union to reconsider its position in the interest of students and residents of the FCT.
He said, “The FCT Administration, under the leadership of the Minister, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has made significant investments in the education sector, including the renovation of over 100 public schools to enhance teaching and learning conditions.
“If the government is working so hard to ensure a seamless education system in the FCT, it is important that all stakeholders support this effort and avoid actions that could disrupt academic activities”.
“Please the NUT should look at these students like their sons and daughters and allow them to write their WAEC examinations starting tomorrow.”
On whether the FCT administration was taking any steps in addressing the issues raised by NUT, he said the Minister gave a 40% intervention last year, while assuring that the Local Government Chairmen would be urged to do the needful.
Dr. Hayyo further used the opportunity to encourage both public and private schools to actively participate in the ongoing Annual School Census. According to him, accurate data from the exercise is crucial for effective planning and policy implementation by the Federal Government, particularly in addressing the needs of the growing student population.
In his words, “We are appealing to both the private and the public schools to upload their data. Without these data, the Federal Government cannot plan adequately. If we have accurate data and know the actual number of our students, we can plan ahead for the future, in terms of providing more higher institutions, hiring more teachers and providing physical facilities.
“If any school fails to upload the necessary data within a timeframe of two weeks, definitely, we are going to sanction the school,” he reiterated.
The inspection team visited a mix of public and private schools. At Government Secondary School Pyakasa, Maitama, academic activities were already ongoing, with students seen actively engaged in classroom learning.
The school principal, Mr. Isa Usman Kokuru, said about one third of the school’s population had resumed as at the time of inspection and that learning activities had begun in full swing. He said, “About 1 over 3 of the total population is on ground and classes are ongoing.”
However, a different situation played out at Government Secondary School Jabi, where students who had reported for classes were reportedly asked to return home by NUT members who had raided the school earlier.
At Government Secondary School Gwarimpa, a good number of final year students were gathered in the school hall, preparing intensively for the WAEC examination scheduled to begin.
The inspection team also visited private institutions, including The Regent School and the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC), where normal academic activities were ongoing.
Accompanying the Mandate Secretary on the school resumption inspection tour, were the Permanent Secretary, Education Secretariat, Mrs. Chinwe Okeke, alongside other senior management staff of the Secretariat.
