By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has declared zero tolerance to encroachment on school lands in the nation’s capital city.
Making this position known yestetday, Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has warned residents against encroaching on school lands, as such acts would not be tolerated under his administration.
Wike spoke through the Mandate Secretary of Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, following an on-the-spot assessment of the teaching and learning condition at the LEA Primary School, Bagusa, a village in Dei Dei community of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
It was gathered that the walless school established by the past administration had about 200 pupils and 16 desks, spread across six different classes, including a creche.
The Minister also pledged the immediate building of classrooms for the pupils as well as a junior secondary school to ensure the easy transition of final year pupils to the next level.
He said the Education secretariat had received reports about the existence of the school and the plight of pupils, hence his decision to embark on a physical assessment to ascertain the immediate and long-term needs of the school.
He added that in the interim, the secretariat is committed to addressing the underlying issues that led to the unacceptable situation at the school.
“We came for inspection of this school because we learned that the school was established here by the previous administration. After the establishment of the school, there was no single structure provided by the previous administration.
“So, it came to our notice when we saw a report in one of the newspapers, so the Minister of FCT directed us to come and inspect the school so that the minister will see how he can intervene so that the school will look very nice and the children will learn in a very conducive environment.
“We are going to convert the school from the current structure to a new modern structure where both the primary and the junior secondary school will be constructed here so that the pupils will learn from Primary One to Six in a conducive environment.
“Again, at the same time, from Junior Secondary School one to three in this premises. We are going to complete it, and then we are going to construct a new block of four classrooms through the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC intervention through their counterpart funding of 2023.
“We will work tirelessly to enhance infrastructure and ensure that no child’s education is compromised by inadequate facilities or unsafe conditions”, he added.
Head Teacher of the school, Chebawaza Alfred Shawo Katungu said he was almost losing hope of any government intervention until Wike assumed office as Minister.
On his part, the Chief of Bagusa village, Zakka Iyah thanked the minister for his intervention, saying for years, his people had been looking forward to a turnaround in the fortunes of the school.
