By OMEIZA AJAYI, Abuja

Peeved by the nonchalant attitude of some secondary school Principals to their work, the Federal Capital Territory FCT Administration has read the Riot Act to all school heads in the territory, threatening to wield the big stick on those found to be administratively incompetent.

Chairman, FCT Secondary Education Board, Yahaya Muhammad who gave the warning at an emergency meeting with Principals of public secondary schools in the territory, warned that the Administration would not hesitate to sack school heads for their inefficiencies and failures.

Muhammad said the meeting became necessary following last weekend’s unscheduled visit to FCT schools, by the Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, which exposed the troubling shortcomings of the Principals.

The Chairman who berated the Principals for the poor sanitation in their schools as well as the flagrant abuses of safety rules, also condemned the attitude of some of the teachers, which he noted was detrimental to the progress of the FCT.

He further directed that all the illegal trading activities going on around the perimetre fences of schools, as well as indiscriminate farming by staff in all available spaces within the premises be discontinued immediately.

He said; “We just have to read the riot act to our principals. So, we have to make it point blank to them that we will no longer accept the situation where our schools are been kept untidy. They must ensure that the sanitary condition of our schools is nothing less than the acceptable standard that we have given to them and that must be complied with.

“Failure to comply with the rules and procedures, of course you know what happens in every organization. Anybody that cannot key in, in my own language, I say that person must be kicked out. So, they must comply with the rules and regulations. We have the statutory responsibility to oversee all the senior secondary schools in the FCT and we will not accept anything short of the required standard”.

Speaking on behalf of the Principals, Vice President, All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools ANCOPSS and Principal, GGSS Dukpa, Mrs. Fatima Muhammad, admitted that the Principals had failed in many areas, but pleaded for forgiveness from FCT Administration.

She said; “We are very sorry. We are ashamed that we have to be summoned today on this issue. We are promising you that we will change. We will also, take our turn to follow ourselves neck and neck so that we see to it that we rise up from our slumber”. (Sunday Vanguard)