The Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) has proposed a comprehensive governance framework for the establishment and management of a Federal Capital Territory Education Trust Fund (FCT-ETF), urging FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the six Area Council chairmen to adopt the model as a policy framework for sustainable education financing.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, AOIYEO Executive Director, Isaac David, described the proposed structure as a transparent and accountable model designed to improve education funding and service delivery across the FCT.
David said the framework provides for the establishment of a Governing Board or Board of Trustees as the highest policy-making and oversight body of the Fund. According to him, the Board should comprise between seven and eleven members and be chaired by a non-executive chairman appointed by the FCT Minister.
He explained that the chairman should be a person of proven integrity with experience in education or public service, while an Executive Secretary or Chief Executive Officer would oversee the Fund’s day-to-day administration and serve as secretary to the Board.
The proposed Board, he said, would include key ex-officio members such as the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, representatives of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCTUBEB), the Secondary Education Board, the FCT Treasury, and the Director of Administration and Finance of the Education Secretariat.
David also recommended the inclusion of representatives from the organised private sector, development partners, non-governmental organisations, education experts and the Area Councils to strengthen public-private collaboration and grassroots participation.
According to him, the Board would be responsible for approving policies, strategic plans and annual budgets, overseeing project implementation, approving disbursement guidelines, appointing auditors and fund managers, and ensuring transparency through regular publication of financial reports and contract awards.
He further disclosed that the Fund would be administered by an Executive Secretariat comprising five departments: Administration and Finance; Programmes and Projects; Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance; Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation; and Planning, Research and Statistics.
The Administration and Finance Department would oversee budgeting, accounting and personnel matters, while the Programmes and Projects Department would supervise infrastructure development, classroom and laboratory construction, and the provision of learning materials.
David said the Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance Department would ensure compliance with standards and assess project performance, while the Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Department would coordinate donor funding, private sector participation and public-private partnership initiatives.
He added that the Planning, Research and Statistics Department would maintain educational databases and conduct needs assessments to support evidence-based policy decisions.
To strengthen accountability, AOIYEO proposed the establishment of four standing committees: Finance and Audit; Projects and Procurement; Technical and Quality Assurance; and Resource Mobilisation.
The organisation also called for quarterly public disclosure of allocations, expenditures and internally generated revenue, alongside annual independent audits and the adoption of whistleblower protection mechanisms.
“There should be active stakeholder engagement involving parents, teachers and communities in budget formulation and implementation. Clear sanctions must also be established for corruption and abuse of office,” David said.
On funding, he proposed a multi-source financing model comprising allocations from the FCT Administration budget, a five per cent contribution model from Area Councils, private sector investments, donor support and internally generated revenue.
He said resources from the Fund should support the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Secondary Education Board, tertiary institutions and the Scholarship Board, with priority given to infrastructure development, teacher training, digital learning facilities and school healthcare services.
David also stressed the need for a robust legal framework to guarantee the sustainability of the proposed Fund, advocating the enactment of an FCT Education Trust Fund Establishment Act by the National Assembly or, alternatively, the adoption of a policy instrument by the FCT Administration.
He noted that the proposed law should clearly define the objectives of the Fund, outline the powers of the Board, provide for a renewable four-year tenure for members, and establish reporting obligations to the FCT Minister.
The AOIYEO Executive Director further recommended the creation of a Private Sector Advisory Council to attract investment, strengthen stakeholder participation and enhance resource mobilisation for educational development.
He expressed confidence that the proposed governance structure, which mirrors global education trust fund models and aligns with the existing framework of the FCT Education Secretariat, would provide a sustainable mechanism for financing education while promoting transparency, efficiency and measurable outcomes.
AOIYEO had earlier called on the newly elected chairmen of the six Area Councils in the FCT to collaborate with the FCT Administration in establishing the proposed Education Trust Fund through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement aimed at addressing funding gaps and improving educational infrastructure and service delivery across the territory.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
