The FCT is witnessing an influx of people who come in with their children thereby overstretching school facilities.
Thankfully, we wish to commend the quick and timely intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who is providing more classrooms and renovating dilapidated structures thus making them available for use again, the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) is able to accommodate the increasing numbers.
UBEB and the Head-To-Head Debate Committee aim at putting out-of-school children back in school through the advocacy of the Free but Compulsory Education.
But there is an urgent need to appreciate the help and collaboration of all able organizations to assist in providing well-equipped facilities that would make our dream of a televised reality TV show where parents would watch their children and wards live on TV like they do Big Brother Naija: we have great plans but we are held down by financial constraints.
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Therefore, this is to applaud the initiative of the FCT Reform Coordination and Service Improvement (RC&SI) Department for the initiative to collaborate on activities that would enhance and showcase the standard of education in the FCT.
FCT UBEB and the Head-to-Head Debate Committee members recently sought advocacy for synergy with the Ag. Director of the Department, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, who has already reiterated that the initiative would turn out to be a pilot initiative which every other state would take a cue from and introduce to their schools.
The FCT Administration, the director said, is pleased to be pace-setters of positive epoch-making events and as such would not withhold their continued support, further pointing out that it is the responsibility of all to ensure the success of this initiative because. She said carrying the FCT identity card automatically makes you responsible for other citizens and residents of the FCT.
The federal government that just launched a similar initiative tagged ‘At-risk Children’ will now know that we have gone ahead of them having started two years earlier than them, so they can meet up with us halfway.
We have also been informed that there is also a centre for very proactive boys who produce drones, tractors and other heavy-duty engines but because they don’t have enough support, they’ve moved into creating local stoves that their mothers are using and also selling to make a living.
We therefore commend the FCT Reform Coordination and Service Improvement (RC&SI) Department for promising to ensure that this flagship project of ours is taken across the shores of Abuja and Nigeria so that our efforts and sacrifices will be rewarded.
The FCT is a brand that many people want to be associated with, there are lots of private outfits that are always willing to partner with the FCT especially for productive projects like this, that they know when history is being recounted, they will be proud to say they had partnered on such a hugely beneficial project but all we need to do is get everyone involved and we will begin to count our successes.
Dr Alhassan Sule is the Chairman of FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB)
