National
FCTA, others adopt minimum standard conduct for schools
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has adopted the “Code of Conduct, Rules, Regulations for Primary and Secondary Schools in Nigeria”.
Presented to stakeholders in Abuja on Monday, it is a comprehensive document that provides an all-inclusive and uniform guideline for both private and public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
The project was funded by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and implemented by Society for Family Health (SFH).
Mr Danlami Hayyo, Secretary for Education, FCT Educational Secretariat, at the presentation of the document, said that school rules and regulations were veritable tools for the smooth running of schools and the overall interest and benefit of the learners.
“There is no denying the fact that, what makes for quality education anywhere in the world is not just the presence of grandiose structures and facilities.
“More importantly, it is the quality of teaching and learning within a safe, secured and friendly environment devoid of any school related gender-based violence.
“Basically, within and outside the school environment, the child learner deserves the right to be protected from any form of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.”
According to him, the document resulted from collaborative work with major stakeholders in FCT, with the hope that discipline is instilled and nurtured in schools and learners at all levels.
The Deputy Director, Health and HIV at the Secretariat, Mr Solomon Johnson, said that the document was developed to have a unified set of rules or regulation in Nigeria to guide the conduct of both learners and teachers in the school system.
“This one is for FCT and is domesticated for FCT, it was done in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, UNESCO, SFH and the purpose is to have unified rules and regulation and code of conduct.
“So that what is obtainable in FCT is obtainable everywhere in Nigeria and where there is a violation, we have a set of punishment meant for every offence that is committed.
“With the unveiling and adoption of the document, it has become something that needs to be used in all schools from now onwards.”
Speaking about the reason why such document was developed, the Programme Coordinator, SFH, Peace Ikani, said that it was in response to Family Life Health Education in schools.
She said that one of the organisation’s goals was HIV intervention and one of the ways to prevent HIV in schools is to have safe schools.
“In 2019, SFH was contracted by UNESCO to develop and carry out an assessment to determine the level of inclusion of school rules and regulations/guidelines in Nigerian schools.
“This was to reduce Gender-Based Violence directed at school learners and to create a safe space for learners at all levels.
“The assessment was geared towards implementing the ‘Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future’ (O3) Project in Nigeria.”
According to her, a research was carried out in Kaduna, Cross Rivers and FCT to analyse the existing gaps in the regulations.
She added that the research also proposed recommendations that would improve the quality of life and learning among learners in and around school environment.
Stakeholders present advocated that the document be distributed to all students and teachers so they could be aware of the provisions in it.
It would also help them conduct themselves properly in line with the provisions of the document and also know their rights as students or teachers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development, adoption and dissemination of the document will be done through a co-creation process by the technical stakeholders in the first selected five states.
NAN also reports that the five states are Ebonyi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Taraba, Cross River and FCT.
It will then be adopted by the Ministry of Education as the minimum standard for schools in their respective states. (NAN)
This decision came hours after the President met with service chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State amid the ongoing political crisis in the region.
Tinubu announced the proclamation during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly for a period of six months.
The President appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retired) as a military administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for the initial six-month period. Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to justify the proclamation. This section defines a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster, allowing the government to suspend normal constitutional procedures to restore order.
A state of emergency grants the President the authority to implement immediate regulations to ensure public safety and maintain order.
For nearly two months, the political feud and power struggle between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his former political protégé, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, have escalated over control of the political machinery in the oil-rich state. The tension has reportedly led to pipeline explosions, while civil servants have threatened mass protests against the Martins Amaewhule-led faction in the State House of Assembly, which remains loyal to Wike.
Tinubu said, “The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalisation of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
“With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
“In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President.
President Bola Tinubu will address the nation at 7 pm Tuesday in a nationwide broadcast on the situation in Rivers State.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Tuesday titled ‘President Tinubu broadcasts to the nation.’
“The NTA and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria will transmit the broadcast at 7 pm.
“All TV and radio stations are requested to link up with the broadcast,” it read.
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revoked the land of the Peoples Democratic Party’s national secretariat, which is situated in Abuja.
Wike issued the revocation notice in a letter dated March 13, 2025, titled, “Notice of right of occupancy with file no: MISC 81346 in respect of plot no: 243 within central area district, Abuja,” on Tuesday.
It was signed by the Director, Land Administration (FTC), Chijioke Nwankwoeze.
According to him, the opposition party has failed to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025, despite many publications in several national dailies and electronic media to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on its property.
The letter read, “I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT and inform you that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 243 within Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from Ist of January 2006 to 1st of January 2025. This is despite the many publications made by the FCT Administration since 2023 in several national dailies and on electronic media requesting all allottees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property.
“You would please note that the said breaches by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) run contrary to the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
The minister added that the FCTA administration he led will henceforth take immediate possession of the party secretariat until all bills are settled.
More details later…