FCTA establishes 25 secondary schools in three years- Minister

The Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, on Friday said his administration established 25 secondary schools in the last three years.

This, he said, was in a bid to ensure the administration complies with the UNESCO recommendation on school distance.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye, the minister stated this during a visit by the United Nations Deputy Secretary, Amina Mohammed, to Government Secondary School Kabusa as part of activities to mark her 60th birthday.

The minister was represented by his Chief of Staff, Bashir Borno.

He also said education for the girl child has been prioritised, adding that five fully functional boarding schools across the Territory have been put in place.

The statement was titled, ‘Amina Mohammed, an inspiration to young Nigerians – FCT minister.’

It read, ”As part of efforts to ensure that children have access to quality education as contained in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the FCTA has in the last three years established 25 new secondary schools spread across the FCT in keeping with UNESCO’s recommendation that no child should walk more than 2 kilometres to school.

”Here in the FCT, we share your passion for education as the tool for personal and national growth. We have also placed a premium on education for the girl child as we have five fully functional boarding schools for girls spread across the Territory.

”Also, entrepreneurial and vocational education were also being prioritised in the FCT with the intention that, upon graduation, students will become self-employed.”

While wishing her a happy birthday, the Minister said, “We are particularly delighted that you will be spending some time in our schools in Kabusa and interacting with the pupils and their teachers. This will really gladden them and we thank you for this”.

Speaking, Amina Mohammed urged the students to focus on their studies as they can be whatever they wish to be with education on their side, adding that “education is the foundation of any great nation… and the first building blocks of your lives is education.”

She also urged the teachers to continue to put in their best in the moulding of students under their care while assuring that the UN will continue to support the FCTA in every way possible to ensure that students in the territory get the best education they can have and the teachers get the enabling environment to impact knowledge.