Strike: FCT pupils miss out as schools mark Children’s Day

Pupils of FCT-owned primary schools missed this year’s Children’s Day celebrations as a result of the strike embarked upon by their teachers over non-payment of their arrears. Abuja Metro reports that Children’s Day is celebrated every May 27 by students of primary and secondary schools. It is a special day set aside to celebrate the […]

Pupils of FCT-owned primary schools missed this year’s Children’s Day celebrations as a result of the strike embarked upon by their teachers over non-payment of their arrears.

Abuja Metro reports that Children’s Day is celebrated every May 27 by students of primary and secondary schools.

It is a special day set aside to celebrate the children, recognise their importance, their rights, joy and their bright future.

In Nigeria, both public and primary schools often organise march past, drama or quiz competitions for the children to celebrate the day.

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However, at the national Children’s Day celebration, organised by the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat to mark the occasion, pupils from public primary schools missed out as they were conspicuously missing.

They have been at home since the month of March as a result of strike declared by their teachers over the non-implementation of the national minimum wage as well as other arrears by the six area councils’ chairmen.

Our correspondent reports that the pupils also missed the second term examination in March.

According to the FCTA schools’ calendar, the third term academic session has entered its fifth week, yet the children are at home.

Abuja Metro reports that all the interventions by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had yielded no results even when he released over N4 billion to the area council chairmen for the implementation of the new wage.

After receiving the new wage, the teachers refused to go back to the classrooms, insisting that the council chairmen must pay the seven months arrears owing them.

Since then, the pupils have been at home with some of them now hawking for their mothers while some others have embraced farming with their parents.

 

Return us to classes, pupils beg Wike

Abuja Metro had earlier on Monday spoken with some of the affected pupils, who were seen playing football in one of the primary schools in Bwari.

One of them, Isaiah James of Pilot Science School, Bwari, pleaded with the minister and those concerned to settle with their teachers to enable them return to the class.

‘’They should please settle with our teachers so that we can resume school, am tired of going to farm,’’ Isaiah, who said he is in primary four, pleaded.

Musa Yakubu Idris, is in primary five. He told Abuja Metro that he had planned to start secondary school in September this year but doubted if that would be possible again.

He said, ‘’I don’t think I will make it to secondary school this year again. Looking at the time we have been at home, I am not sure what the school will do after our resumption. Are we going to repeat the class or be allowed to move ahead? We don’t know yet.’’

Musa, who will be clocking 11 years in July, said time was no longer on his side and pleaded with the concerned authorities to intervene.

Ibrahim Idowu, who is from Bwari 1 LEA Primary School, regretted not being part of this year’s children day celebration.

He said, for the past two years, he had been representing his school in march past as well as drama to mark the day.

‘‘But this year, because we are not in school, we could not practice for the celebration,’’ he said.

 

Educationists warn on the danger of prolonged absence from schools

Mrs Jayeola Otitoluju, an educationist, reminded the council chairmen that keeping the children at home for such a long time could discourage them from school.

She said, ‘’Apart from the negative impact on the development of the children, it is like denying them their right because each one of them has the right to be educated,’’ Dr Olaofe Jimoh, a retired principal, said keeping the children out of school because of whatever reason, could make them idle, adding that an idle mind is a devil workshop.

The educationist said, ‘’We should not allow these children to be recruited or influenced by criminal elements in the society.

The state chairman of the FCT wing of the NUT, Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, had told journalists that teachers were concerned about the plight of the pupils and assured that they would return to their classes once their demands were met by the council chairmen.

 

We are committed to children’s welfare

-FCTA

The Federal Capital Territory Administration yesterday said it was committed to the welfare and rights of the children in the nation’s capital.

The Mandate Secretary, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, made the pledge yesterday at the national children day celebration held at the old parade ground, Abuja.

The mandate secretary said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, was poised to promote excellence in education, especially as it concerns the children.

She said, ‘’Today, as we gather to celebrate our children, we call on our teeming students in the FCT to rise against bullying and speak up, whenever confronted with this radical menace. ‘’I urge you to avoid bullying and channel all your energies to academic resourcefulness, in order to shape a better tomorrow for yourselves.’’

Our correspondent reports that this year’s Children’s Day celebration has as its theme ‘Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bullying-Free Generation.’