A Call for Urgent Intervention by the FCT Administration
The state of public secondary education in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is becoming increasingly worrisome, as persistent administrative challenges, inadequate teaching personnel and poor learning conditions continue to undermine the quality of education available to students.
This development has raised serious concerns among parents, education stakeholders and concerned citizens, particularly following the recent two-week industrial action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over unresolved labour-related issues, including government policies affecting workers and the welfare and entitlements of teaching personnel.
Although the strike was eventually suspended following the resolution of some of the issues raised by the labour unions, the resumption of academic activities has not translated into effective teaching and learning across several public secondary schools in the FCT. Rather, the situation appears to have exposed deeper structural and administrative problems within the FCT secondary education system.
Students Pay the Price for Administrative Decisions
One of the major concerns is the decision of the FCT Administration to redeploy some teachers to other sectors and departments within their respective professional fields without making adequate provisions for replacement personnel.
While the administration may have its reasons for such redeployments, the consequences for students and the general academic environment cannot be overlooked.
As a concerned parent, it is disturbing to observe that students in some public secondary schools hardly receive adequate classroom instruction. Out of the five subjects scheduled for a school day, students may receive lessons in only one subject or, in some instances, none at all.
This situation raises fundamental questions about the actual learning taking place in our schools and the preparedness of students for important external examinations, particularly the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Education is not merely about students reporting to school every morning and returning home in the afternoon. It is about effective classroom engagement, qualified teachers, adequate instructional materials, continuous assessment and the acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills.
Unfortunately, these essential components appear to be missing or inadequate in some FCT public secondary schools.
Declining Academic Performance: A Cause for Concern
The academic performance of students in public secondary schools, particularly in external examinations, deserves urgent attention.
It is particularly disappointing that some schools within the Central Business District of Abuja, which were previously regarded as centres of academic excellence and models for other public and private institutions, have reportedly recorded performances below expectations in recent external examinations.
This development should be a serious concern to the FCT Education Secretariat and the relevant education authorities.
If schools that once served as shining examples of academic excellence are now struggling to meet expected standards, the situation calls for a comprehensive assessment of the factors responsible.
Rather than attributing poor examination results solely to students’ lack of commitment or teachers’ performance, the authorities must examine the broader institutional challenges affecting teaching and learning.
Students cannot reasonably be expected to excel in examinations when they have not been adequately taught, guided and prepared throughout their academic sessions.
Allegations of Administrative Misconduct and Exploitation.
Beyond the shortage of teachers, concerns have also been raised about the administrative practices in some public secondary schools. Some stakeholders have expressed dissatisfaction with what they describe as a culture of institutional silence, where school administrators allegedly protect one another rather than address misconduct and administrative irregularities.
There are also allegations that some parents are subjected to unnecessary financial demands by individuals within the school system before their children can access certain educational services and opportunities to which they are entitled. Such allegations, where established, represent a serious abuse of public trust and a departure from the fundamental responsibility of public education.
Public schools are established to provide accessible and affordable education, not to create additional financial burdens for parents who are already struggling with the prevailing economic realities.
Furthermore, the quality of instructional delivery has become another major concern. In some instances, students reportedly receive electronically generated notes through social media platforms instead of comprehensive classroom teaching and properly supervised learning activities.
Although digital learning materials can complement conventional teaching methods, they should never become a substitute for qualified teachers and effective classroom instruction. It is also important to recognise that not every student has access to a smartphone, reliable internet connectivity or the financial resources required to download and study online materials.
Consequently, relying excessively on social media platforms to distribute instructional materials risks creating further inequalities among students.
Teacher Shortages: How Can 20 Teachers Do the Work of 70? Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the situation is the reported reduction in the number of teachers available in some schools following the redeployment exercise.
For instance, a school that requires approximately 70 teachers to effectively manage its academic activities is reportedly left with barely 20 teachers. This raises an important question: How can 20 teachers effectively perform the academic responsibilities originally assigned to 70 teachers without compromising the quality of instruction?
The implications are enormous.
Teachers are likely to experience excessive workloads, while students may be left without adequate subject coverage, supervision and academic support. The situation could also affect lesson preparation, marking of assignments, continuous assessment and the general monitoring of students’ academic progress.
The FCT Secondary Education Board and other relevant authorities must therefore explain the rationale behind such redeployments and demonstrate the measures put in place to prevent disruptions to academic activities. Redeploying teachers without providing adequate replacements is an administrative decision that could have far-reaching consequences for the educational future of thousands of young people.
A Clarion Call to the FCT Minister
At this critical moment, the FCT Administration must look beyond administrative restructuring and prioritise the actual educational needs of students.
This is a clarion call to the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, His Excellency, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene in the affairs of public secondary education in the Territory.
The Minister, popularly associated with the Mr Project identity, has an opportunity to demonstrate that educational development is also an important component of the infrastructural and human capital transformation agenda of his administration.
The relevant education authorities should be directed to:
Conduct an immediate assessment of teacher shortages across all public secondary schools in the FCT.
Review the recent redeployment of teaching personnel and ensure that schools are not left understaffed.
Recruit or deploy qualified replacement teachers to schools experiencing serious shortages.
Investigate allegations of financial exploitation, administrative misconduct and other irregularities within school management structures.
Strengthen supervision and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that teachers carry out their academic responsibilities effectively.
Ensure that students receive their full daily lessons in accordance with approved academic timetables.
Provide adequate teaching and learning materials, including printed instructional notes for students who may not have access to digital learning facilities.
Establish an effective mechanism for monitoring students’ academic performance and preparing them adequately for WAEC, NECO and other external examinations.
Create accessible channels through which parents can report administrative misconduct and receive timely responses from the relevant authorities.
The Future of Our Children Must Not Be Sacrificed
Education remains one of the most important investments any government can make in the future of its people. The quality of education available to children today will significantly determine the human capital, economic productivity and social development of tomorrow.
The FCT should not be known only for its beautiful roads, impressive public buildings and expanding urban infrastructure. It should equally be recognised for the quality of education provided to its young population.
Our children deserve more than school uniforms, school buildings and attendance registers. They deserve qualified teachers, effective classroom instruction, an enabling learning environment and an educational system that prepares them for a competitive future.
Parents are making enormous sacrifices to ensure that their children receive quality education. They should not have to worry about whether their children will receive even the basic lessons scheduled for the day.
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The time has therefore come for the FCT Administration, the Secondary Education Board, school management authorities and other relevant stakeholders to take decisive action.
The future of our children is too important to be compromised by administrative inefficiency, inadequate staffing and institutional negligence.
The Honourable Minister must act before the situation deteriorates further. Our public secondary schools need urgent attention, and our students cannot afford another academic session of uncertainty.
A concerned parent and advocate for quality public education.
