FCTA Frowns At Late School Resumption

By: Wisdom Acka

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has bemoaned poor turnout of students in schools for 2022/2023 second term academic session in Kwali Area Council.

Authorities of the FCT Education Secretariat, on Thursday, embarked on routine inspection tour of private and public schools in the Territory to assess resumption compliance level, following school resumption on Monday.

While it was observed that there was substantial presence of students and pupils in day schools (both private and public institutions), boarding schools, however, recorded very low turnout of students.

Secretary, Education Secretariat, Dahir El-Katuzu in a chat with journalists during the tour, disclosed that on the average, only about 40 percent of students have resumed school in the area, which leaves a lot to be desired.

El-Katuzu, noted that the situation may not be unconnected to the security situation especially in Kwali and Abaji Area Councils, as such sometimes resumption will not be immediate as expected.

He, however, revealed that administrators of Schools in Kwali were asked to use thier initiatives to see that they introduce policies to attract students to resume school immediately in order to avoid lateness and delay academic activities.

According to him, the Secretariat has a culture of going round schools in FCT at resumption, to look into it and give advice to students that resumed.

He said: “While we do it in the City Centre, we found out that students resume almost immediately they are asked to, but unfortunately in Kwali, we have some little difference. Today, we came to schools in Kwali instead of the normal city centre inspection.”

“We have come to see schools in Kwali, and we have observed the resumption is not too poor, but actually it is not too good. On the average, about 40% of students have resumed school,” he said.

“We expect a situation where students will at least have more than 50% resumption, because you can not have 100%, as there has to be some issues experienced by both students and parents”, the Secretary noted.

“The resumption in Kwali needs a lot to be desired. But we have spoken with administrators of Schools, where we asked them to use thier initiatives to see that they introduce policies that will attract students to resume school immediately, so that we don’t experience this kind of lateness again,” he added.

He advised students to always be hardworking so as to be properly developed for the future, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.

Some of the schools visited include, Government Secondary School, Government Science Technical College (GSTC), FCT LEA Pilot school, and Ambassador Global Academy, all in Kwali area of the FCT.

On his part, Principal, Government Science Technical College, Kwali, Oyawale Olusegun disclosed that his school recorded only 25 percent resumption;?adding that efforts were on to improve the situation.

Meanwhile, Principal, Junior wing of Government Secondary School, Kwali, Ogonye Yakubu Shadrach said that his school recorded 95 percent resumption rate.