Wike tasks principals on re-enrollment of out of school children

• ….As ANCOPSS converge on Abuja for 66th Congress

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike has called on Principals to ensure the re-enrollment of out of school children across the country.

This call is coming as the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) converged on Abuja, to brainstorm on innovative possible ways to improve teaching and learning in the country.

Wike, who declared the 66th ANCOPSS Congress open yesterday in Abuja, also charged  Principals to as a matter of urgency join forces to inculcate  the values of hard work in their students.

Represented by the Mandate Secretary, FCT Education Secretariat, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, the minister reiterated the Administration’s commitment to continue to improve the standard of education towards producing students with academic excellence and character.

He also disclosed that procurement processes are ongoing to upgrade and make the establishment of new university a reality in the FCT.

While expressing delight that FCT students are highly digitized, Wike however, stressed the need for Principals to champion campaigns against cyber crime, popularly know as “Yahoo Yahoo” ( get rich quick mentality).

In a Keynote address, National President of ANCOPSS, Alhaji Muhammad Ibn Musa pledged the Principals committment to continue to raise standard of post- primary education through dedication to duty and adopting the right methodology to promote excellence.

Musa, who spoke on the theme “Developing Entrepreneurship For Secondary Schools In Nigeria”,  asked principals to mentor the students on entrepreneurship education, at a time when the world is gravitating towards that direction.

He also encouraged members to invest in themselves, deepen their knowledge by conducting more researches in their fields of study to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and discipline.

He noted that the convergence of the principals is usually targeted at promoting knowledge and experience sharing.

“It also creates a forum where we interact with one another with a view to strategizing for better education delivery.

“We also organise workshops and seminars for our members and teachers as part of our human development programme”, he added.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the President of ANCOPSS, FCT Chapter, Dr. Bello Adam Gupa,said the elevation of some school principals in FCT  to the role of Permanent Secretaries has boosted the moral of others and left an indelible marks in the annals of education in the territory.

He commended the FCT Minister for upgrading infrastructure facilities in schools.

He equally thanked the FCT Minister  for regular and prompt payments of teacher’s salaries, implementation of 65 years and 40 years harmonized retirement age as well as regular promotion of staff.

Gupa however, appealed for land to build the ANCOPSS Headquarters, establishment of more senior secondary schools, recruitment of more teachers, promotion of eligible principals to grade level 17 as obtainable in the States, provision of more computers and posting of well trained security men to all schools to keep the environment safer.

Highpoint of the event was the decoration of some awardees, presentation of trophies as well as March past Parade by the Principals drawn from the 36 states of the federation  before the FCT Minister.