FCT Teachers Join Protest Over Closure of Abuja Schools

The primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have announced that they will join the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in its protest over the continued closure of public primary schools in the nation’s capital.

“We, the primary school teachers, will be joining the NANS-organised protest tomorrow by God’s grace,” said one of the leaders of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), who did not want the name mentioned. Meanwhile, the source declared that the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in FCT, Comrade Stephen Knabayi, appeared to be working with the government to sabotage their efforts.

“His activities seem to be sabotaging our efforts,” the source declared. The National Association of Nigerian Students, while announcing the plans to stage a mass protest, described the situation as “unacceptable” and a grave injustice to the Nigerian children.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the association had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to reopen public primary schools in Abuja, following the continued closure of schools for over two months, due to unresolved issues between the FCT Administration and the Local Government Education Authorities. The ultimatum has since elapsed.

However, in a notice for protest with Ref No: NANS/Ref/05/9100 dated June 30 and made available to SaharaReporters’ and signed by its President, Olushola Oladoja, the association expressed deep concern that thousands of children, especially those from low-income families, had been denied access to basic education for over two months due to the shutdown.

Titled “Notice Of Mobilisation For Protest Against The Continued Closure Of Primary Schools In The FCT,” the association regretted that despite their repeated “appeals, correspondences, and calls for constructive dialogue with the relevant authorities, no meaningful steps have been taken to resolve the impasse or reopen the affected schools”.

The students’ body described the continued silence of the government as “a deliberate act of negligence and disregard for the educational future of the Nigerian child.” In response, the national leadership of NANS hereby issued a final call to action and announces a mass protest to demand the immediate reopening of all closed public primary schools in the FCT.