No holiday yet for Abuja primary schools

By Paul Dada

Pupils of  primary schools in Abuja will have to wait for five more weeks before they can go for third term break unlike their counterparts in other parts of the country.

This is because the Federal Capital Territory Administration has approved a five-week extension of the 2024/2025 third term academic calendar for public primary schools in Abuja.

The extension becomes necessary following the prolonged strike action by the member of the Nigerian Union of Teachers.

They had commenced the strike on March 24, 2025. It was only called of  off on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 following the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The strike had severely disrupted academic activities in public primary schools, necessitating government intervention.

A circular issued by the Acting Executive Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Alhassan Sule, addressed to Education Secretaries across the six area councils of the FCT, gave guidelines to schools on how to catch up on the lost curriculum time.

The circular said, “You may wish to recall that the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday, 24th March, 2025, and it was called off on Wednesday, 9th July, 2025, after the intervention of the Honourable Minister, FCT.

“Owing to the aforementioned development, there was an academic gap for the learners, and to bridge the gap created, the Honourable Minister, FCT has approved the following: Extension of primary school calendar by five weeks from Monday 28h July-Friday 29h August, 2025; and Extension of one period a day for primary 4-6 pupils only.”

The circular also stated: “You are to strictly adhere to the above directive and communicate to all Head Teachers of Public Primary Schools in the FCT.”