‘Influx of IDPs overstretches available facilities in FCT’

THE influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has resulted in overstretching of available facilities in some of the schools, especially in urban and semi-urban areas.

Acting  Director, Administration and Finance, Education Secretariat, Mr Justina Avong Maimagani, made this known during the 2017 FCT mid-term briefing, in Abuja.

Maimagani, who lamented that FCT now home to many displaced persons from around the country, pointed out that enrolment figures within the capital city had increased by 11.04 per cent in public primary schools.

She, therefore, said the secretariat had awarded contracts for a total number of 278 projects at a cost of N3.2 billion.

The projects, according to her, include supply of 300 double bunk beds and 600 mattresses to FCT secondary schools in Abaji Area Councils provision of remedial works on existing block of eight classrooms at Government Secondary School, Nyanya; supply of computer consumables to education resource centre, supply of laptops for students support programme of the FCT scholarship board, construction of classrooms, library and perimeter fence in the FCT secondary schools among others.

She, however, said the encroachment into school plots by private developers had affected the establishment of schools and further development of existing schools in some communities in the area.