FCT Education secretary tasks staff on use of resources
The Secretary Education Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Senator Isa Maina, has tasked officials of the secretariat to be more prudent with resources and avoid extra-budgetary spending in order to move the sector forward.
Senator Maina was emphatic on the lack commitment to duties and penchant to lack of judicious use of government funds for developmental purposes.
Maina made this call while making his opening remark at a one-day management consultative meeting at the Education Resource Centre, Abuja recently.
The meeting had in attendance heads of the various agencies and boards of the secretariat and heads of specialised divisions and units.
According to the Secretary, the aim of the meeting was to engender “building of synergy and evolve new strategies, and orientation towards actualising the mandate of the Education Secretariat.”
He urged the stakeholders “to be ready to make sacrifices in the face of lean financial resources from government” and to “suggest implementable strategies by thinking outside the box.”
The Secretary therefore commended the stakeholders for winning both national and international laurels for the FCT.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting revealed that necessary observations were made in order to reposition the education in the FCT, including avoidance of extra-budgetary expenditure by being accurate in preparing budgets by agencies under it;
early submission of transcripts on financial transactions and the dire need to quickly rebrand the perception of the public about education delivery in FCT.
Other observations by the meeting include the imperative for training and retraining of teachers; rehabilitation of dilapidated school facilities; as well as the need to enhance generation of revenue from private schools, among several others.
Some of the major decisions taken at the meeting as contained in the communique include directives that all boards and departments to be meticulous in preparing their budgets so as to meet implementation targets; prioritisation of capital projects in future budgeting;
vigorous reorientation in service delivery for the enhancement of positive image of the secretariat and expedition of procurement of critical projects in the education sector.
The secretariat also decided that it would institutionalise award mechanism in relation to performance; liaise with FCT Sports Council for the revitalisation school sports across the territory, address personnel gap in the FCT Education sector and encourage partnerships for the provision and maintenance of critical school facilities, to mention a few.
