The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, Danlami Hayyo, has warned that the ongoing Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) strike could trigger mass failure among students, as the action disrupts academic activities on the eve of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) papers.
Hayyo, who remarked during an inspection tour of schools across the Federal Capital Territory on Monday, described the timing of the strike as “psychologically demoralising” for candidates preparing to sit for critical examinations.
The warning comes as schools in the FCT recorded a mixed resumption, with impressive student turnout in some areas overshadowed by reports of forced closures and class disruptions by striking teachers.
Expressing concern over the development, the Education Secretary condemned reports that union members were driving students and teachers out of classrooms, insisting such actions were unjustifiable, especially at a sensitive academic period.
“I don’t think it’s right, it’s for the NUT to come and chase all the students out,” Hayyo stated, questioning the rationale behind the move barely hours before the commencement of WAEC examinations.
He further questioned the logic of the action, stressing that it places students at a clear disadvantage in a highly competitive examination environment.
“How can you expect your sons and daughters to write exams tomorrow when you are chasing them out today?
“This could lead to mass failure, and WAEC will not reschedule for FCT students alone,” he warned.
Amid the uncertainty, some schools, including Government Science Secondary School Maitama, managed to reopen, though with noticeably low attendance. Director Principal Isa Usman said that out of over 1,800 students, only 473 reported on the first day of resumption.
Usman attributed the low turnout to a mix of logistical challenges and the ongoing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examinations, which have kept many SS3 students away from campus.
Despite the strike, the boarding school opted to continue academic activities, insisting that students already on campus could not be sent home.
“Because it’s a trading house, when they come, we cannot send them away. We are taking care of them and ensuring everything is going fully for their sake,” Usman said.
Hayyo, however, defended the administration’s efforts, noting that under Nyesom Wike, more than 100 schools have been renovated, while 40 per cent of teachers’ emoluments were paid in the past year.
He argued that most of the outstanding issues raised by the union fall under the jurisdiction of local education authorities and area council chairmen, rather than the FCT administration.
With WAEC set to commence immediately, officials fear the strike could destabilise candidates and worsen the territory’s already fragile education system.
The Education Secretariat has therefore urged the NUT to return to the negotiating table, warning that prolonged disruption could deepen the crisis of out-of-school children in the FCT.
“I am tired of this strike. If we continue to discourage these children now, they will retaliate when they become the leaders of tomorrow,” Hayyo lamented, appealing to the union to prioritise the future of students.
As of Monday afternoon, management at schools like GSSS Maitama maintained that lectures would continue for students who were present, even as the wider FCT education system remains under intense pressure.
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