FCT Indigenous Organisation Proposes Governance Blueprint For Education Trust Fund

The Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) has proposed a comprehensive governance framework for the establishment and management of a Federal Capital Territory Education Trust Fund (FCT-ETF), calling for its adoption by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the six area council chairmen.

The indigenous group said the proposed structure is designed to ensure transparency, accountability and sustainable financing for education across the Federal Capital Territory.

The Executive Director of AOIYEO, Commandant Isaac David, who unveiled the governance framework during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, said the model would transform education funding and improve service delivery in the FCT if implemented.

According to him, the proposal establishes a Governing Board or Board of Trustees as the apex policy and oversight body of the Fund, with membership ranging between seven and eleven persons.

He said the Board should be headed by a non-executive chairman appointed by the FCT Minister, and drawn from individuals of proven integrity, preferably with backgrounds in education or public service.

“The chairman should be a person of integrity with a background in education or public service, while the Executive Secretary or Chief Executive Officer will head the Secretariat, manage day-to-day administration and serve as Secretary to the Board,” David said.

He explained that the Board would include key ex-officio members such as representatives of the FCT Education Secretariat, the Universal Basic Education Board (FCTUBEB), the Secondary Education Board, the FCT Treasury, and the Directorate of Administration and Finance.

David further proposed the inclusion of private sector representatives, development partners, NGOs and education experts to strengthen public-private partnership arrangements, alongside representation from the area councils to ensure grassroots participation.

He said the Board would be responsible for approving policies, strategic plans and annual budgets, as well as disbursement guidelines, major projects, and the appointment of external auditors and fund managers.

“It will also ensure transparency through publication of budgets, allocations and contract awards, and provide oversight of the Executive Secretariat,” he added.

Under the proposed structure, the Fund would operate through an Executive Secretariat headed by an Executive Secretary, supported by five departments: Administration and Finance; Programmes and Projects; Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance; Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation; and Planning, Research and Statistics.

David explained that the Administration and Finance Department would manage budgets and human resources, while the Programmes and Projects Department would oversee infrastructure rehabilitation, classroom construction, laboratory upgrades and provision of learning materials.

He added that the Monitoring and Evaluation Department would ensure compliance and quality assurance, while the Partnerships Department would coordinate donor funding and private sector participation.

The Planning, Research and Statistics Department, he said, would maintain education data systems and conduct needs assessments to guide policy and interventions.

To further strengthen governance, AOIYEO proposed four standing committees: Finance and Audit; Projects and Procurement; Technical and Quality Assurance; and Resource Mobilisation.

David stressed that transparency mechanisms must include quarterly publication of financial reports, annual independent audits, and public disclosure of allocations and expenditures.

“There should be active stakeholder engagement involving parents, teachers and communities in budget formulation and implementation. Clear sanctions must also be established for corruption and abuse of office,” he said.

On funding, he proposed a multi-source model comprising FCTA budget allocations, five per cent Area Council contributions, private sector funding, donor support and internally generated revenue.

He said resources should be channelled to basic education boards, secondary schools, tertiary institutions and scholarship schemes, with priority given to infrastructure, teacher training, digital learning and school healthcare support.

David also called for a legal framework through an FCT Education Trust Fund Establishment Act or policy instrument from the FCTA to guarantee sustainability.

“The law should clearly define the object of the Fund as sustainable financing for education, spell out the powers of the Board, provide for a four-year tenure renewable once, and establish provisions on quorum, meetings and reporting to the FCT Minister,” he said.

He further proposed a Private Sector Advisory Council to enhance investment inflows and strengthen stakeholder engagement in education development.

David expressed confidence that the proposed governance model, which aligns with public-private partnership principles, would help close funding gaps and improve educational outcomes across the FCT if adopted.