The Federal Capital Territory Administration has extended the current academic term for public primary schools by five weeks to recover time lost during a prolonged teachers’ strike.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers began an indefinite strike on March 24, 2025, which lasted more than three months before being suspended on July 9, following the intervention of the FCT Minister.
In a circular dated July 23 and signed by the Acting Executive Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Alhassan Sule, the administration directed Education Secretaries in all six area councils, Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali, and Gwagwalada to implement the extended academic calendar.
According to the circular, the school term will now run from Monday, July 28 to Friday, August 29, 2025, giving schools additional time to cover missed academic work.
To further support learning recovery, the board also ordered the addition of one extra teaching period per day for pupils in Primary 4 to Primary 6.
“The Honourable Minister has approved the extension of the school calendar by five weeks and one extra lesson period daily for senior primary pupils,” the circular stated. “All head teachers must be informed and ensure strict compliance.”
The strike had paralyzed learning activities in government-owned schools across Abuja, sparking concerns over academic setbacks for thousands of pupils.
The extended term is aimed at bridging the academic gap and stabilising the school calendar ahead of the 2025–2026 session.
