The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has firmly dismissed widespread reports suggesting that all government schools in the Federal Capital Territory would shut down on November 28, 2025. The administration described the claim as entirely untrue, stressing that “no such decision was taken at any level.”
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, confirmed that the Minister has ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the misleading circular.
In addition, the Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has been instructed to take disciplinary action against the Director of School Services, Mrs. Aishatu Sani Alhassan, in accordance with civil service regulations.
The administration urged parents, guardians, students, and school authorities to discard the false information, emphasizing that the official academic calendar remains unchanged. It also reassured FCT residents of strengthened security within school environments, noting that the Minister has directed the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security interventions across the territory.
Speaking earlier on the matter, Dr. Hayyo distanced himself from the controversial circular, telling journalists:
“Honestly, I saw the circular the same way everyone else did. It is clearly a wrong circular because the director who signed it has no authority to do so. Only the Honourable Minister can approve school closure in the FCT. I never received any directive or approval from him, and there is no reason for such an action.”
He added that the circular held “no credibility or legitimacy,” urging parents to ignore it completely.
“There is no cause for concern. There is no crisis in FCT schools, so why would anyone circulate such information? It should be disregarded.”
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the FCTA has removed workers who abandoned their duties from the administration’s staff records. This decision was announced as the government reaffirmed its commitment to the Computer-Based Test (CBT) promotion system for civil servants.
Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Engr. Emeka Eze, disclosed the update on Tuesday during another round of CBT examinations involving more than 8,000 workers across different cadres.
According to Eze, “Some employees are not ghosts, but they simply abandoned their duty posts. If you abscond from work, it means you are no longer in service.”
He noted that the five-day CBT exercise, conducted in batches, is part of ongoing reforms aimed at building a more efficient, digitally savvy workforce. He also appealed to the Minister to consider establishing a dedicated FCT-owned CBT centre to address recurring technical challenges.
Also speaking, the Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti-Nathan, reiterated that the CBT system “has come to stay.” She acknowledged the challenges experienced by participants but assured that every issue will be resolved.
“Challenges will always arise, but we adapt and improve. The computers are programmed so that your time begins only when you start the test. Even if others finish before you, the system allows you to complete yours. Going back to the old method? Absolutely not,” she emphasized.
