TheCable

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has approved N30.9 billion for the rehabilitation of schools in the nation’s capital.

Danlami Hayyo, mandate secretary, education secretariat, FCT Administration, announced the approval on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja.

Hayyo said N13.3 billion out of the N30.9 billion was approved for the renovation and rehabilitation of 40 schools, which would be completed in 100 days.

The mandate secretary said N13.1 billion was also provided for an accelerated whole-school rehabilitation approach, beginning with 18 schools.

He said four schools would also be renovated in the second batch of the whole-school rehabilitation approach at the cost of N4.5 billion.

He listed the schools to include Government Science Technical College, Kwali; Government Science Technical College, Maitama; Government Secondary School, Kuje and Government Secondary School, Wuse II.

He said the projects are expected to be completed before May 2024, noting that they would be among those that would be commissioned by President Bola Tinubu to mark his one year in office.

The mandate secretary said the minister has committed to settle 40 percent of the N7 billion minimum wage arrears owed the primary school teachers by the six area councils.

Hayyo said the area councils would settle the remaining 60 percent of the amount, which would be paid within the next three months.

“The previous administration neglected the education sector. No meaningful intervention by the previous administration in the education sector of the FCT,” NAN quoted the secretary as saying.

“That is why the huge work is going to be done by the current administration. That is why the minister took education as a serious matter and earmarked about N30 billion.”