By Sarah NEGEDU
Schools across the Federal Capital Territory recorded an impressive turnout of students, pupils and teachers, as the new academic session resumed after the long holiday.
Senior officials of the FCT Administration, who monitored resumption in schools within Garki, Wuse and Wuye, expressed satisfaction with the level of attendance and preparedness.
The inspection team visited Government Science Technical College Area 3, Junior Secondary School and AMAC LEA Primary School in Wuse Zone 6, the Department of Mass Education Learning Centre in Wuse Zone 6, Junior Secondary School, Area 11, Government Senior School, Zone 3, and a private school, Pace Setters Academy in Wuye District.
Speaking after the exercise, the Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, who said the turnout was encouraging, was also delighted with the serene environment in some of the schools visited.
Hayyo who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Joy Chinwe Okeke, said “All FCT schools, both private and public, resumed today and I’m very impressed with the turnout. As we can see, the environment is looking very well renovated because our minister, Nyesom Wike has education as his priority.
“That is why he (Wike) has invested billions of naira in the renovation of the schools, even the class prefect of one of the school that we visited confirmed that they are grateful to the minister for renovating their school, because now they are in a very good conducive environment for learning.”
The secretary also appealed to parents whose wards have not yet returned to release them to join others in class.
At GSTC Area 3, the Director/Principal, James Kuta, described the turnout as encouraging, noting that lessons had already commenced.
He said, “They are supposed to be 1,060 plus students, we have 631 on resumption. So, we have just about 400, less than 400 left. And I’m sure they will be back.
“The major renovation was done by the Honourable FCT Minister. That is just a simple language that we should do better. And we are doing our best, and the children are also doing their best as the environment is better than it was. I want to thank the Education Secretary and the Honourable Minister for encouraging us a lot.”
Kuta explained that the school environment had been fumigated, grasses lowered, and classrooms and hostels cleaned ahead of resumption.
At Junior Secondary School, Area 11, the Principal, Gold Fatimoh Iyabo, said 238 students resumed on the first day out of a total enrolment of 520.
Routine inspections at the beginning of every term are part of the Education Secretariat’s measures to monitor students’ resumption and ensure teachers’ preparedness.
