Indigenes of Kuka community in Kwali Area Council have called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Minister, Nyesome Wike, to look towards the community in Abuja South for inclusive development of the territory.
The Community said the Children of Kuka need to be assisted to reduce their long-distance walk to get secondary education.
The Aguma Kuka, Idris Bature Yakubu, said the Minister and the Senator representing the FCT in the National Assembly, Senator, Ireti Kingibe, should include the Junior Girls Model secondary school Kuka project in their development plan of the territory.
According to him, the greatest beneficiaries of the school project would be the children in the territory, especially the girls in Kuka and 20 other contiguous villages and communities.
He said commissioning the already built educational facility in Kuka community by the FCT administration in the one-year cycle of governance of the new administration would impact the children who go as far as 4 kilometres away to get junior secondary education in Dangara community because the facility which is less than one kilometre to these children remained closed after completion in 2014.
The Aguma of Kuka, Idris Yakubu, said this to Journalists while showing them around the completed junior girls model secondary school, Kuka which though has been completed but has not been opened for public use.
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He said the closed facility at Kuka community has denied children of junior secondary school age access to many female children who trek about eight kilometres daily to have junior secondary school education in another village.
The Aguma Kuka, who spoke through the Madaki of Kuka, Hon. Abdullahi Wakili, said “Our senator is a Woman and a mother, she should look into this situation and help the children.
He regretted that the presence of the facility in Kuka had raised their hopes, especially for the children but left it hanging for over a decade because it has not been made open.
He told Journalists that the closest and most accessible secondary school facility to the community is four kilometers away and when the children do the journey to and back on foot, they are tired and worn out.
This, he said, could affect learning among the children, especially those in the junior secondary schools “when children return from the school that is closest to us here and accessible some four kilometres away, they are tired and want to sleep.
“It becomes difficult for parents to demand that the kids do other work because they are really tired after walking eight km to and from their school and as a parent, you could visibly see the tired child and know all he or she needs is rest.”
The Aguma of Kuka said if the school is opened, it would serve children from about 20 other surrounding communities who cover all of these distances on a daily basis to get junior secondary education.
The Aguma said communities that would benefit from the revamp of the dilapidating structure include Mangy, Mony, Akako and Kwana. Others include: Madam, Chakami, Zakpara, Maikwari, Mboni etc.
According to the Aguma, the sight of the facility in the community which has not been opened for public access “brings tears to the people as the education of the girl child that stares at us in our doorsteps cannot be accessed because it has not been opened for use for over 10 years after completion.”
He said as the Minister of the FCT plans to unveil completed projects by May 29, he should factor this educational project in Kuka too.
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, in a telephone interview, said she would ensure that all girls in her constituency, in this case, cannot be left behind educationally.
She expressed her commitment to the vision of universal basic education which is captured in the fourth goal of the sustainable development goal.
Senator Ireti said this through her Senior Special Assistant/Media Secretary, Hajiya Nana Kazaure.
She said, “These children have the right to education and as parents, we are responsible to ensure they have this access seamlessly. Especially when we have an infrastructure that can be used for this purpose to have them educated in their domain.
“Why would we have our children cover almost eight kilometres daily for a formal school education when one is that close? When would the child wake up, do home chores before leaving for school? Imagine the time to be spent trekking four kilometres to class. These children would be sleeping at school.
“How much learning would have taken place in that situation? Again what happens to a child who falls sick either on the way or at school? How can that child get back home and in what condition? This indeed is of serious concern for us all. This is about our children, it cuts across party lines.
“It is our duty as parents, leaders, religious, traditional and political to ensure that service to the people impacts on them positively.
“Be sure that I will get to the root of this matter and together with the people we will ensure that this concern is made a thing of the past.”