The Federal Capital Territory Department of Mass Education (DME) has enrolled 13, 477 learners across the six zones in 2016 and made 4,648 residents attain basic literacy status.
Mrs Justina Maimagani, the Acting Director, Administration and Finance, Education Secretariat, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to her, DME has engaged 500 qualified part-time facilitators to man 441 learning centres, adding that 218 learners graduated in vocational proficiency examination which is equivalent to Basic Education Certificate Examination.
She said that DME has the mandate to provide adult literacy and vocational education for FCT residents, saying that it was established primarily for the attainment of mass literacy and self-sufficiency objectives.
“Our core objectives include freeing the FCT of illiterate and ignorant people through providing non-formal education programmes that will eradicate illiteracy and provide skills that will empower the people for meaningful living.
“The department in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained and successfully graduated 323 learners in electrical installation, fashion design, ICT/web design and hospitality and tourism.
“There was also expansion of literacy services to six Nomadic communities with an enrolment figure of 255 learners comprising of 65 males and 195 female.
“Also, the integration of formal education curriculum into Qur’anic schools with 25 centres and total enrolment of 800 learners across the FCT.”
Maimagani said that the department has succeeded in getting accreditation/approval from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for the conduct of its examination in all six zonal centres.
The acting director said that the administration in 2015 created the department of Higher Education and the department of Policy Planning Research and Statistics.
According to her, the department laid the ground work for the commencement of the Abuja University of Technology Abaji by interfacing with TETFUND, NUC and other relevant agencies and organisation to make the dream a reality.
She said the Bill for the establishment of the university has also reached advanced stages in the National Assembly, hoping that its passage would be speedily concluded.
She said that the FCT College of Education, which was charged with meeting the manpower gaps of teachers especially in the FCT, has performed creditably over the years.
“While many tertiary institutions were embroiled in one form of crisis or the other which resulted in either strikes or forced closures, the college has remained peaceful.
“The College of Education, Zuba, conducted a staff replacement exercise created by deaths, retirements or withdrawal from service of staff to meet the manpower challenges in the college.
“It also initiated over nine national and international academic conferences and workshops to further build the capacity of the academic staff of the college.”
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