The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Secondary Education Board Desk Officer for Robotic Education, Aishatu Suleiman, has called for extensive teacher training and retraining to bridge the educational gap between educators and students nationwide.

She made that call during a sensitisation programme organised by the Change a Child Community Initiative at Government Day Secondary School, Dutsen Alhaji, and Government Secondary School, Kubwa, Monday in Abuja.

Suleiman acknowledged the infrastructure strides of the FCT administration under Minister Nyesom Wike, but emphasised that human capital development requires equal attention.

She said that “The government is doing its best and there has been so much improvement in the renovation of schools and the provision of learning materials, but teachers are in dire need of training.

“We are not asking for too much, but for training and retraining so that we can give out our best. Despite not being in the class at the moment, I still train and pay for online courses that I believe will be beneficial to my profession because once a teacher, you’re always a teacher.”

Addressing the students on the core theme of peace, Suleiman stressed the importance of religious and ethnic coexistence, noting that the initiative aims to model students into individuals equipped with emotional intelligence and balanced psyches necessary for community cohesion.

Also speaking, the Founder and Lead Educator of the Change a Child Community Initiative, Blessing Awamba, explained that the programme was designed to catch children young and inculcate values critical for national development amidst rising societal vices.

Awamba disclosed that the five year initiative of her organisation is billed for nationwide expansion and that public schools were strategically chosen due to their large population density.

“With huge numbers in public schools where you can find up to 80 students sometimes in a class, and so much more at the assembly ground, the message will cover large numbers and with huge impacts as results,” she explained.

The sensitisation campaign is scheduled to extend to other public schools across the remaining area councils in the FCT, including the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Kuje, Kwali, and Gwagwalada.