Primary school pupils in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed mixed emotions following the suspension of a three-month strike by their teachers and the reopening of public schools.
Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, the pupils said they were glad to return to school but worried about how they would recover the academic time lost during the strike.
The FCT chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had on Tuesday directed its members to resume classes starting Wednesday, following the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who convened a stakeholders’ meeting on July 3 to resolve the prolonged impasse.
The strike, which began on March 24, 2025, was in protest against the non-payment of salary arrears and the failure to implement the new national minimum wage for primary school teachers.
A Primary Four pupil, Joshua Peter, expressed concern over the timing of the school reopening, noting that private school pupils were already writing examinations and preparing for holidays.
“We’ve already lost the entire second term. Pupils in private schools are writing exams and getting ready for holidays, but we don’t know how we’ll cover what we missed,” he said. He added that although schools had resumed, lessons had not yet started, and pupils were asked only to clean the school premises.
Another pupil, Mercy Gwoza, said she was happy to return to school but feared teachers might rush through lessons in an attempt to catch up.
“I just hope they won’t rush too much or stop midway again,” she said.
Jamiu Mahmoud, another pupil, said he was excited to see his classmates again but worried about adjusting academically after the extended break. “I just pray God helps me catch up. I don’t want my performance to drop,” he said.
Some parents also expressed concern about the educational impact of the strike. Mrs. Manji Amos said that although the resumption brought relief, the academic setback faced by the children was alarming.
“The children are now behind academically, and something must be done quickly. The school authorities and teachers must work together to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” she said.
In response to the situation, education consultant and school proprietor Mr. Tanimu Abdulmalik advised schools to begin with quick academic assessments to identify learning gaps in key subjects.
“They can start with short tests or oral questions in subjects like English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, then prioritize essential topics required for exams and promotion,” he suggested.
He also recommended extending school hours, compressing teaching schedules, or organizing weekend lessons to help pupils recover lost ground.
Despite the directive to resume teaching, it was observed that in several public schools, pupils were idle as many teachers had yet to return to classrooms, raising further concern about how quickly normal academic activities will resume.
