Indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of Abuja Original Inhabitants and Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) have appealed to the federal government to implement a standard free education system for all interested Abuja natives.
The natives said this initiative would serve as compensation for the land that was forcibly taken from them to establish the federal capital.
The organisation’s president, Commandant Isaac David, said yesterday that the alarming increase in the number of out-of-school children among the indigenous population was a pressing concern.
“This request is critical in preventing the FCT from becoming a hub of criminal activities in future. If we ignore this issue now, it will be significantly more challenging to address it later when it escalates,” he said.
A recent survey conducted by AOIYEO revealed that the situation in the FCT could be dire if the high rate of children not attending school is left unaddressed.
“Our findings showed that 89 percent of these children are not enrolled in any form of basic education. This lack of educational opportunities creates a breeding ground for criminality, and as stakeholders, we believe that providing free education for Indigenous people is the only viable solution. Our research has also shown that these children are eager to learn, but their parents are financially unable to support their education,” he stated.
He added that the call for free education was not unprecedented in Nigeria, as many state governments had implemented similar programmes for their indigenous populations.
“I do not believe that free education is too much to ask for the people of Abuja. Numerous state governors are already offering free education up to university level. In various cases, policies have been put in place to ensure that Indigenous students pay lower school fees compared to non-indigenes.
“We urge the federal government to adopt a similar approach for our people. This initiative would help reduce the number of youths who might feel disenfranchised and resort to criminal behaviour due to a lack of support,” he explained.
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