FCT Education Resource Centre (ERC)
The Resource Centre started as the Education Service section of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in 1982 when the then Education Department was to send a representative to the Board of West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The ERC is essentially an academic service provider to schools. It provides these services in the area of curriculum development, examinations, admission and placement, library services, instructional materials, teachers’ professional development and research in its mandate areas. Its functions include the enhancements of the study of languages, sciences and mathematics.
Vision
To provide efficient and effective academic support services to all levels of the education sector, public and private in the FCT, with special emphasis on Early Child Education (ECE) primary and secondary school levels.
Mission
To realize its vision, the Centre provides specialized services in Curriculum Delivery, Library Services, Guidance and Counselling, Research and Publications, Development of Education Instructional Materials, Teacher Development and Mentoring, Community Education Services, Examinations, Admissions, Placement and Certification.
Hajiya Neemat Daud-Abdulrahim, Director Education Resource Centre
The Mandate
The Centre is charged with the responsibility to, among other things, plan and implement curriculum; measure and evaluate students and other applicants for placement into FCT schools, conduct students’ examinations and certification; teacher professional development and mentoring; monitor and supervise school counselors, guide and counsel students and the general public; develop and provide library services to schools and the public. It also collects, collates and disseminates research critical information on education matters; develops and provides instructional materials for schools and the public; trains and re-trains primary and secondary school teachers; provide science and language laboratory services; computers/internet services; and conference halls for schools, out-of-school learners and the general public.
The Centre reaches out to the general public, especially parents, guardians, researchers and independent learners, through book fairs, counseling clinic, the ERC and district libraries, model laboratories, workshops, computer/internet centre, facilities for conferences and seminars. Other academic programmes are quiz and debate competitions, French, English and Nigerian language lessons for all categories of young and adult learners at the Foreign Language Centre which is equipped with Language laboratory.
The ERC also collaborate with relevant professional and educational bodies as well as associations such as West African Examination Council (WAEC),National Examination Council( NECO),Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND), Federal and State Ministries of Education, Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), National Mathematical Centre(NMC), Network of Educational Services Centres in Nigeria(NESCN), donor agencies, the Curriculum Organization of Nigeria, the World Conference of Curriculum and Instruction, (National Association of French Teachers(NAFT), etc.
Relationship of the ERC’s Mandate to the Vision, Mission and Mandate of the Secretariat
- The Centre is the academic nerve centre of the Education Secretariat which provides support and specialized services to the schools and the general public in such ways that, the overall goals of the Education Secretariat are fully and effectively realized in the FCT.
Functions
Office of the Director:
• The Director coordinates and supervises all the professional and administrative activities of the ERC.
The ERC has 8 divisions.
Administration Division:
• The Secretary is the head of the Administrative Division of the Centre. The division provides staffing and material support as well as welfare services to all staff and the divisions of the Centre through the following branches: Registry, Budget, Salaries, Staff matters, Stores, Cash/Revenue, Internal Audit, Servicom and Information Units.
Community Services & Entrepreneurship Division:
• Her mandates include improving the quality and consolidation of education, promoting out-of-school learning; strengthen the operational capability of the Education Resource Centre, and providing support to the Educational system in the FCT.
• Monitor the effective implementation of the Trade and entrepreneurial subjects curriculum in FCT schools. The Division has the following branches vizviz Implementation, Exhibition, Fish production, Table Water, Music, Cosmetics, Garment Making, Photography, Bookshop and Business Centre.
Curriculum Development Division:
• The Division organizes and coordinates the distribution of National Curriculum, breaks down the National Curriculum into teachable units, reviews textbooks and monitors the implementation of the National Curriculum in FCT schools.
• It organizes seminars, workshops and conferences on curriculum matters for teachers and school owners. It also organizes annual book fairs and Co-Curricular activities such as quiz, debates, musical contests, drama on tape, Subject Associations, Entrepreneurship development, etc.
• The Foreign Languages Centre in the Division offers full-time French, Arabic and Chinese language courses for beginners, intermediate and professional groups.
• Breaking down of Curriculum into Teaching Scheme and yearly Book fair.
Guidance and Counseling Division:
• The Guidance and Counseling organizes monthly meetings and workshops, for counselors in FCT schools and supervises and monitors them.
• The division in collaboration with the Secondary Education and Universal Basic Education Boards posts counselors to schools, plans guidance and counseling programmes by reviewing and modifying the scheme of work periodically.
• It organizes annual career day/exhibition for FCT secondary schools.
• The division operates a counseling clinic on family problems management of human resources and finances, child abuse, choosing a spouse, stress management, referral services, HIV/AIDS etc.
Guidance and Counseling Division:
• The Guidance and Counseling organizes monthly meetings and workshops, for counselors in FCT schools and supervises and monitors them.
• The division in collaboration with the Secondary Education and Universal Basic Education Boards posts counselors to schools, plans guidance and counseling programmes by reviewing and modifying the scheme of work periodically.
• It organizes annual career day/exhibition for FCT secondary schools.
• The division operates a counseling clinic on family problems management of human resources and finances, child abuse, choosing a spouse, stress management, referral services, HIV/AIDS etc.
Library Services Division:
• The ERC library provides services to FCT schools and the general public through its rich collections of books, reference materials, journals, research reports, computer/internet services, photocopying, readership campaigns through the Young Readers’ Clubs in FCT schools, training library staff and encouragement of schools to enforce the library hour on their time table.
• City & Gudu District Libraries – The Honourable Minister of FCT recently commissioned the two district libraries at Wuse zone 4 and Gudu respectively to cater for readers.
Note: We currently have four existing libraries under the umbrella of the ERC namely; ERC Reference Library, City Library in Wuse Zone 4, Gudu District library located in Gudu near Apo Legislative Quarters and Bwari District Library in Bwari Area Council. Though, Bwari and the new extension of Gudu District libraries are yet to be commissioned.
• These libraries provide services to FCT schools and general public through its collection of books, journals, reference materials, research reports, computers/internet &photocopying services, readership/literacy campaign programmes through the launch of Young Readers Club in Schools, BEARHUG children Summer Program, Community Literacy program etc.
Measurement and Evaluation Division:
• The M&E organizes, conducts and monitors examinations in FCT schools during the MOCK-WASSCE, JSCE, End-of-year Promotion and FCT Science Schools Entrance Examinations.
• It assesses results, certificates and testimonials of FCT students, schools, other government agencies and individuals in order to facilitate, upgrading and promotion.
• It also coordinates and monitors national examinations such as the WASSCE, SSCE, NABTEB, NTI, NDA, NMS, Air force, Federal Science Schools Entrance Examinations, etc.
• Screening and placing students who have completed Junior Secondary Education and are promoted to Senior Secondary Schools.
• Handles transfer cases of students seeking admission from Private and Public Schools within FCT and those from other states after due diligence.
• Admission and Placement Division is also responsible for the conduct of Examination into Science and Technical Schools, and The School for the Gifted Gwagwalada, Abuja.
• The division conducts Admission Verification Exercise, to monitor and ensure due diligence admission matters. Staff of the Division also collaborates with other Divisions like Curriculum Division, Measurement &Evaluation Division, Teachers Development Division and EIT Division to ensure overall success of ERC activities.
The Division conducts:
i. Science/Technical Schools’ Placement/Screening Examination.
ii. School for the Gifted Screening Examination and posting of students.
iii. Admission Verification exercise in all FCT Public Senior Secondary Schools.
iv. Post and place successful BECE students from Junior Secondary Schools.
v. Screening and admission of applicant coming on transfer from Private, Public and other states Schools to FCT Schools.
vi. In addition, the Division embraces the process of online application for Admission to Senior Secondary Schools.
Printing, Planning, Research and Statistics Division:
• The division prints MOCK-WASSCE, Promotion (SS1 &2), BECE, Science & Gifted examination materials for FCT Schools.
• The Division produces handbooks (CDs) on all educational agencies, programmes and activities undertaken by the FCT education sector, by highlighting functions and activities.
• It also publishes, periodically, a directory on institutions of learning in the FCT by identifying their addresses, history, status, location etc.
• Also carry out analysis of WAEC/NECO examination results yearly.
• The division researches into problem areas in education by collecting, collating and analyzing data using questionnaires, interviews, observation techniques, etc.
• It conducts in-house seminars on topical educational and general issues by inviting experienced resource persons to talk on them.
• It maintains the centres database through ICT unit and also coordinates the training of teachers in ICT.
• The division provides and updates information on the ERC website and in publications, and provides academic information to researchers.
Teacher Development Division:
• The Division was created in 2008 to ensure quality teaching through adequate re- training, orientation courses/workshops for FCT teachers.
• To provide the basic teaching tips that can easily be implemented in the classroom and to also provide on-line study services for teachers.
• It creates forum for experienced teachers to share their expertise with colleagues.
• It researches into teaching techniques and styles and the publication of same.
• The division develops and produces and distributes instructional materials to FCT schools at an affordable price, trains teachers on the production and use of instructional materials, provides visual/print production services e.g. with camera, video camera, public address, projector, etc on request. The EIT is also into interior decorations.
Organogram of FCT Education Resource Centre (ERC)
Past and Present Directors of FCT Education Resource Centre
Providing Quality Education for Residents of the Federal Capital Territory
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