By Stanley Onyekwere
The Kwali Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has disbursed 18 buses worth N65 million to 17 Junior Secondary Schools and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUJ), in the area.
Unveiling and handing the vehicles, keys and documents of the buses to the Principals of the schools and the NUT chairman in the area, the minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, said school buses promote brand of a school and the running of academic institutions.
According to her; “the need for school buses, in the running of academic institutions, cannot be over emphasised; transport facilities are needed to attend inter-school debates, symposia, sports competitions and outside engagements.
“I therefore, charge the school authorities to devote these buses to the purpose for which they have been presented and to ensure their effective maintenance.”
She commended the chairman and members of the council for fulfilling their electoral promises and pledges, to promote the welfare of the people through the provision of public utilities.
Peoples Daily reports that each benefiting school received one bus, while NUT also got one.
The minster urged students of the benefiting schools to reciprocate the gesture by paying attention to their academic work, extracurricular activities and moral development.
Akinjide therefore called on other area councils in the FCT to emulate the council’s initiative and create condusive learning environment in schools in their areas.
Earlier, the council’s chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Daniel, said the donation was the first step to promoting education in the area, as it is important to lay solid foundation for education.
He said, he still has plans to procure more buses for junior secondary schools to solve the problem of lack of buses in the schools, and disclosed further that the council had procured 52,500 branded exercise books for primary schools in the area.
On his part, Education Secretary in the FCT, Kabiru Yusuf, called on the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) in the area to ensure it funds the fuelling and maintenance of the buses.
