Low turnout as schools resume in FCT

There was low turnout of pupils/students of both secondary and primary schools across the six area councils of the FCT as schools resume for 3rd tern academic season on Monday. 

City & Crime visited some of the secondary and primary schools in the territory and observed that only few numbers of pupils were in their schools.

At LEA Demonstration Primary School, Gwagwalada, few pupils were seen in their classrooms attending lessons and the teachers were busy taking attendance.

Some other pupils were seen sweeping their classrooms and the school’s premises.

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A teacher at the school, Mrs Patience Solomon, said the low turnout of pupils was as a result of the first day of resumption.

She said, “You know on a first day like this, there is always low turnout of pupils until may be from Tuesday, the numbers of pupils will start to increase.”

Also, at LEA Primary School, Bonugo, Kwali Area Council, only few numbers of pupils were seen in two classrooms, while other classrooms were locked.

It was observed that skeletal academic activities were rendered to the few pupils that reported.

At Abaji Central Primary School, few numbers of pupils were also seen in their various classrooms.

A teacher, Ibrahim Danjuma, also attributed the low turnout to first day of resumption, saying there will be improvement from Tuesday.

Similarly, there was low turnout of students at Government Secondary School (GSS) across some of the area councils visited by our reporter, as only few students were spotted in classes having lessons.

At Government Day Secondary (GDSS), Abaji, few numbers of students were seen in their classrooms.

The situation was the same at GDSS, Gwagwalada.

A visit by our reporter to Government Secondary School (GSS), Kuje, shows that only few students were at the school cleaning both classes and the school’s compound.

Some teachers seen were monitoring the students who were cleaning the premises before they were asked to return to their classes for lesson.

A teacher at the school simply identified as Emmanuel said the low turnout was as result of the first day of resumption, saying the school will begin to witness appreciable turnout from Tuesday.

However, the Director of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Hassan Suleiman, said there was appreciable turnout of both students and pupils in some of the schools he visited at the city centre on Monday.

He, however, said it was normal for some school, especially those in the remote communities, to witness low turnout on the first day of resumption.

“But so far, some of the schools I visited today being Monday, I am impressed with the turnout of students, even though there was reported low turnout in some of the LEA schools but I believe as from Tuesday, there is going to be improvement,” he said.