FCT Teachers Seek Housing Scheme as Accommodation Costs Bite
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The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools in the FCT has asked the Federal Capital Territory Administration to set up a housing scheme for teachers, saying high accommodation costs are forcing some educators to commute long distances or sleep in classrooms.
The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), FCT Chapter, has called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration to establish a housing scheme for teachers to ease the burden of high accommodation costs.
The Chairman of ASUSS in the FCT, Mr Julius Ogundiran, made the call in Abuja on Monday at the joint national celebration of the 2026 World Teachers’ Day. He said the high cost of accommodation had forced some teachers to commute long distances from neighbouring states, while others had resorted to sleeping in school premises.
“Most of our colleagues, even in Garki here, are coming from Suleja or Abaji, and some are even sleeping in classrooms because they cannot afford houses in town,” Ogundiran said. He urged the FCT Administration to develop dedicated housing estates for teachers or provide subsidised land across the six Area Councils, adding that access to affordable housing would improve teachers’ welfare and enable them to perform their duties more effectively.
He acknowledged the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries by the FCT Administration but said the shortage of affordable housing remained a major challenge for many educators in the territory. “If the government stands with the teachers, the teachers will be strong. If the teachers are strong, education will be strong,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Grace Philip, a teacher at Junior Secondary School, Tungan Maje, raised concerns about delays in the promotion of teachers in the FCT and what she described as the marginalisation of teachers, urging authorities to consider the views of educators when formulating policies affecting the profession.
In his remarks, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to teacher welfare, professional development and increased investment in education. Bagudu, who was represented by an official of the ministry, Mrs Kikelomo Ogundele, said reforms in the education sector could not succeed without well-trained, motivated and adequately supported teachers.