Promotion Without Progress: FCT Teachers Left Behind

 Promotion Without Progress: FCT Teachers Left Behind

By Jerry Adesewo

In the very heart of Nigeria’s capital, and under the leadership of its Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, frustration is brewing among the teachers tasked with shaping the next generation. The just-concluded promotion exercise in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has left many educators feeling shortchanged, sparking outrage and renewed calls for fairness in the system.

For Comrade Ibukun Adekeye, a teacher and union leader, the outcome is nothing short of a betrayal. “It is marginalisation and neglect,” he says bluntly, pointing to what he describes as a glaring injustice against Education Officers in the exercise.

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Out of 915 Deputy Directors who sat for the examination, 840 were Education Officers—a staggering 92 percent. Yet, in the end, only 20 of them were promoted, representing a paltry 2.4 percent. Even more disturbing, Adekeye argues in his open letter, is that 80 percent of the teachers scored above 70 percent, well above the 60 percent benchmark set by the FCT Administration.

“This is unfair,” he insists, his voice echoing the frustration of colleagues who feel trapped in a system that rewards neither merit nor dedication.

Tears in the Staff Room
Behind the statistics are human stories—of teachers who have given decades to the classroom only to find their career progression stalled. Adekeye recounts watching senior colleagues break down in tears after being told that, despite passing the examination, there were “no vacancies” to justify their promotion.

“This is not just about welfare,” he stresses. “It is about dignity. Many of these teachers have been at the same level for 14 years. Imagine the toll that takes on morale.”
The sense of abandonment runs deep. To many, the exercise has reinforced a painful message: no matter how hard they work, the odds remain stacked against them.

The Case for Merit-Based Promotion
The teachers are not merely lamenting; they are demanding change. Their appeal is straightforward: promotions should be based on merit, not vacancies. Adekeye cites Lagos, Delta, and Kaduna States as examples where teachers who met performance requirements were elevated to the Directorate cadre, regardless of vacancy ceilings.

“Promotion to Level 17 should be a right, not a privilege,” Adekeye argues. “We are not asking for favours—we are asking for fairness. Teachers would rather remain in the classroom, teaching and learning as Directors, than be perpetually trapped as Deputy Directors in an office.”

The argument touches on a broader principle: if teachers, the backbone of the education system, are denied opportunities for advancement despite meeting all requirements, what message does that send about the value placed on education?

An Appeal to the FCT Minister
In their collective voice, the teachers are urging the Honourable Minister of the FCT to revisit the policy. They acknowledge that some promotions were granted, but insist the process remains unjust and unsustainable in its current form.

“What we are asking for is not extraordinary,” Adekeye explains. “We are asking to be treated with the dignity and respect we deserve. We are asking for fairness. If this is done in other states, why can’t it be done in the FCT?”

The plea is not just about career progression. It is about restoring hope, boosting morale, and reaffirming the teaching profession as one of honour and pride. Without such action, many fear that the sense of disillusionment among teachers will deepen, with long-term consequences for the education sector in the FCT.

Beyond Promotions: A Test of Policy
At its core, the dispute is not simply about individual careers. It is about policy, equity, and the vision for public education in the FCT. If merit continues to be sidelined in favour of bureaucratic ceilings, then the system risks losing its best hands, demoralising a workforce already stretched thin.

For now, the teachers wait, their hopes pinned on the willingness of the Minister to intervene decisively. As Adekeye puts it: “This is about creating a more just and equitable system for teachers in the FCT. We deserve better. Our students deserve better.”

In the classrooms across Abuja, lessons continue. But beneath the surface, the festering discontent is a reminder that teachers are not just conveyours of knowledge—they are professionals whose dignity and welfare must be protected if education is to thrive.