As schools in the Federal Capital Territory resume activities for the 2nd term academic calendar, authorities of the FCT Education Secretariat has expressed displeasure over the poor turnout of students in schools in Kwali Area Council of Abuja, the FCT.
Specifically, secretariat lamented the low turnout of students in boarding schools in the area council where only about 40percent students attendance was marked as at Thursday.
Management staff of the secretariat had on Thursday embarked on routine inspection tour to both private and public schools, to asses resumption compliance level in school.
Some of the schools visited include the Government Secondary School, Government Science Technical College, GSTC, FCT LEA Pilot school, and Ambassador Global Academy, all in Kwali area of the FCT.
Our correspondent observed that while there was substantial presence of students and pupils in day schools (both private and public institutions), boarding schools recorded very low turnout of students since the resumption of schools on Monday.
Speaking with newsmen during the tour, Secretary, Education Secretariat, Dahir El-Katuzu, said the low level of attendance situation may not be unconnected to the security situation especially in Kwali and Abaji Area Councils, as such sometimes resumption will not be immediate as expected.
He however, revealed that administrators of schools in Kwali, were asked to use thier initiatives to see that they introduce policies that will attract students to resume school immediately, so as to check such kind of lateness.
According to him, the secretariat has a culture of going round schools in FCT at resumption, to look into it and give advice to students that resumed.
“While we do it in the city centre, we found out that students resume almost immediately they are asked to, but unfortunately in Kwali, we have some little difference. Today, we came to schools in Kwali instead of the normal city centre inspection.
We have come to see schools in Kwali, and we have observed the resumption is not too good. On the average, about 40percent of students have resumed school.
“We expect a situation where students will at least have more than 50percent resumption, because you can not have 100percent, as there has to be some issues experienced by both students and parents.
“The resumption in Kwali leaves a lot to be desired. But, we have spoken with administrators of schools, where we asked them to use thier initiatives to see that they introduce policies that will attract students to resume school immediately, so that we don’t experience this kind of lateness.
“We are also aware that because of the security situation especially in Kwali and Abaji Area Councils, sometimes resumption will not be immediate as expected. That notwithstanding, we will continue to urge both students and school administrators to see that the students resume on time”, he stressed.
He admonished students to always be hardworking, in order to be properly developed for the future, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.
On his part, Principal of Government Science Technical College, Kwali, Oyawale Olusegun, who disclosed that the school recorded only 27percent resumption, said efforts are on ground to improve the situation.
Meanwhile, Principal, Junior wing of Government Secondary School, Kwali, disclosed that it recorded 95% resumption rate.