By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday, said it has constructed 108 classrooms and rehabilitated 277 others in 2023.

The Mandate Secretary of Education secretariat, Dr Danlami Hayyo, said this during the secretariat’s 17th end-of-year media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

Hayyo added that 64 Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) toilets, 11 boreholes, seven school fences, one administration block and 1 laboratory were also constructed during the period.

He also said that four laboratories, four administration blocks, three boreholes and a girls’ hostel were equally rehabilitated within the outgoing year.

He equally said that school furniture and instructional materials were supplied to Universal Basic Education (UBEB) schools, while 15 boreholes were constructed at primary and junior secondary schools.

He further said that two toilets were constructed in two Junior Secondary Schools, while educational support school bags and learning materials were provided to eight junior secondary schools.

“We also expanded the Zonal Offices of the Department of Quality Assurance from seven to 12 and repaired eight utility vehicles for effective monitoring and evaluation.

“Also, a 150-capacity hall and digital literacy programme were inaugurated in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari and Kuje Area Councils, while laboratories and books for libraries were provided to schools,” he said.

On tertiary institutions, the mandate secretary said that the secretariat completed the construction of a 600-capacity Computer-Based Test Centre at the College of Education, Zuba, among other successes.

He stressed that the FCT Administration was not leaving any stone unturned in the improvement and provision of adequate infrastructure.

“We will continue to provide classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and recreational spaces to nurture well-rounded, successful students and ensure the efficacy of the educational delivery system,” he added.

On capacity building, Hayyo said that continuous capacity building of teachers and management staff was crucial for ensuring a high-quality and effective educational system.

He argued that capacity building enhances teaching quality, students’ performance, and professional development, and encourages innovative teaching techniques as well as incorporating new curriculum approaches among other benefits.

He said that to this end, the secretariat had facilitated a series of training sessions for teachers and management staff within the year under review.

The education secretary disclosed that some of the teachers were trained in Early Childhood Care Development Education, while 85 health teachers and others were trained in nutrition and food in the Annual Operation Plan.

He also said that 6,042 girls and women were trained in accelerated literacy in collaboration with European and UNESCO.

“Free CBT training was also conducted for 1,268 youths while 199 out-of-school children and 55 women were trained on shoemaking, paint production, decorations, hijab making, snacks and traditional henna skill acquisition.

“Similarly, 70 women were trained in digital entrepreneurship in partnership with Dream Divas Touch, while 30 youths were equally trained in web application design.

Hayyo further said that the education secretariat had put in place a motivation mechanism to encourage, inspire and incentivise individual staff to perform better, achieve goals and excel in their schedules.

On sports development, the mandate secretary said that the secretariat had made the FCTA proud through the various outstanding achievements and awards received within the year.

Other achievements within the year according to the mandate secretary included the disbursement of the 1st trenches of the School-Based Management Committee-School Improvement grant to 32 benefitting schools across the FCT.

He added that a Technology Incubation Centre Solar Hub was also certified in Karu, while an Automobile Diagnostic Centre and a Robotics Centre for Schools were established within the year.

He identified inadequate qualified teachers and a shortage of funds to implement capital projects as some of the challenges in 2023 and expressed hope for better performance in 2024.

“We express our profound gratitude for the overwhelming support of the FCT Administration led by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, and the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola.

“We also thank our development partners for all the financial and technical support throughout 2023,” he said.