Wike Approves Fresh Promotion Exams for 5,990 FCTA Education Officers

No fewer than 5,990 education officers in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have begun their 2026 promotion examinations following an intervention by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, which gave affected staff another opportunity to sit for the test.

The examination commenced on October 5, 2026, and entered its sixth day on Monday, with teachers and education officers seeking promotion from Grade Level 13 to Grade Level 17 participating.

The exercise also accommodates officers who missed the 2025 promotion examination after a disruption prevented them from completing the assessment scheduled for the education cadre.

The 2025 promotion examination was conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission in July for staff across various cadres. However, education officers were reportedly forced out of their examination hall by officials of the FCT chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) during the two days allocated for their tests.

Following appeals by the affected officers, the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), FCT chapter, and the NUT, Wike approved a rescheduled examination for the education officers.

Speaking during an inspection of the venue, the Head of the FCTA Civil Service, Nancy Sabanti Nathan, expressed satisfaction with the turnout and orderly conduct of the candidates.

Nathan said the minister’s approval had restored the opportunity for officers who were unable to participate in the previous exercise to pursue their career progression.

She urged the candidates to remain disciplined and take the examination seriously, noting that promotion was an important aspect of advancement in the public service.

The Head of Service also explained that promotion opportunities at higher grade levels were limited because the civil service structure provided fewer positions as officers advanced through the ranks.

She attributed some of the constraints to the implementation of the harmonised retirement age for teachers, which extended their years of service by five years and reduced the number of vacancies created through retirement in the past four years.

However, she said opportunities remained at lower grade levels and encouraged candidates to perform well, stressing that promotions would depend on merit and available vacancies. She added that the officers would return to their respective schools after completing the examinations.

The Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Emeka Ezeh, confirmed that approximately 5,990 education officers were participating in the current exercise.

Ezeh commended the candidates for their participation and orderly conduct since the examination began. He said the assessment covered officers seeking promotion across the grade levels, from 13 to 14 and up to Grade Level 17.

He cautioned candidates against allowing external interests or political considerations to interfere with their professional advancement, reaffirming the commission’s commitment to a transparent, merit-based promotion process.

Meanwhile, JUAC President for the FCTA and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Rifkatu Iortyer, said the examination had proceeded smoothly. She noted that administrative officers, accountants and other cadres had completed their assessments before the current phase for education officers.

Iortyer welcomed the decision to give teachers who missed the August 2025 examination another opportunity, adding that the strong turnout without disruption demonstrated their determination to advance their careers despite the ongoing industrial action involving the NUT and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the FCT.

She expressed concern about the effect of the labour dispute on academic activities and urged union leaders and FCTA management to resume negotiations in the interest of pupils and students.

According to her, union leaders were pursuing informal mediation efforts to resolve the disagreement, and she expressed optimism that dialogue would produce an acceptable outcome. She also appealed to union members to remain calm to prevent further escalation.

On security arrangements, the Director of the FCTA Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, said adequate measures had been put in place to ensure the peaceful conduct of the examinations.

Gwary explained that security personnel had established accreditation checkpoints from the entrance gates to the examination halls to manage the large number of candidates.

He attributed the orderly exercise to effective security planning and the cooperation of participants, assuring candidates that the arrangements would remain in place until the examinations were completed.