By Abdul Jelil Adebayo
The FCT Education Resource Centre (ERC) started as the Education Service Section of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in 1982.
But with years gone by, it is now an academic provider to schools and the general public.
The Centre is the academic nerve centre of the FCT – Education Secretariat which provides support and specialized services to schools and the general public in such ways that the overall goals of the Education Secretariat are fully and effectively realised in the FCT.
The vision of ERC is to provide efficient and effective academic support services to all levels of education sector, public and private in the FCT with special emphasis on early child education (ECC), primary and secondary levels.
While its mission is to realise its vision by the provision of services, Guidance and Counselling, Printing, Research and Publications, Development of Instructional materials, Teachers Training and Mentoring, community Services and Entrepreneurship, Measurement, Evaluation, Placement and Certification as well as library services to schools and general public.
The Centre reaches out to the general public, especially parents, guardians, researchers and dependent learners, through Bookfairs, Counselling Clinic, District libraries, Model Science Laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Vocational Skills, Workshops, Computer/Internet Centre, Training and Retraining of teachers, Foreign Language Centre, Conference halls, Out – of – school Education Services, Examination, Admission and Certification, Dissemination of research information, production of Magazines and production of Educational Instructional Materials.
The functions of the Centre is made possible, efficient and effective by the magnanimous support of the Hon. Minister of the FCT, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike. The Centre is grateful for the Minister’s prompt attention and approval for requests which have enabled it to get far in executing its mandate to the schools and public in the FCT.
The Director, Dr. Neemat Daud Abdulrahim, whose desire is to transform the Centre as the engine room of the FCT Education Secretariat, coordinates and supervises all the professional and administrative activities of the ERC.
She has a distinguished career of over three decades as a professional Librarian and Education Administrator.
Neemat holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science (BLS) from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She holds Masters in Public Administration (MPA) as well as Postgraduate Diploma in Education, both from the University of Abuja. She recently bagged Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the field of Educational Administration from Anointed University, Johannesburg – South Africa.
She started her working career as a Librarian at Central Medical Library, Yaba, Lagos and moved to Abuja in 1991 to join the Federal Capital Development Authority (now the Federal Capital Territory Administration or FCTA) as a Librarian in the education sector.
She rose to the level of the Director, City Library, Wuse Zone 4 Abuja as the Pioneer Director of library in the FCT.
Neemat has championed many programmes relating to the library and information sector and education in general.
This includes being responsible for piloting the establishment of the City Library in 2006 and the Gudu District Library in 2009, both in Abuja.
She also initiated the annual summer holiday programme known as BEARHUG (Books Enlighten And Reading Helps Us Grow) for primary and secondary school-aged children. She initiated and promote literacy through her pet project in 2012 when she introduced the Almajiri programme for street boys.
The programme was an attempt at bridging the gap between illiteracy and literacy through creative and innovative approach to learning.
This aims to positively impact the lives of Almajiris (homeless children) on the streets of Abuja City Centre.
Her mission is to keep them out of the streets, using her office to secure scholarships from well-meaning Nigerians in pursuit of their education and skill acquisition for economic empowerment.
Neemat was one of the two Library Champions in Nigeria with the Beyond Access Project, organised by the International Research Exchange (IREX) and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
For two years, Neemat along with her team championed capacity building of librarians of public libraries in Northern Nigeria.
She graduated in May 2018 as one of the 32 innovators who participated in the first cohort of a two-year programme for public librarians known as the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators Sub-Saharan Africa (INELI-SSAf) powered by the African Library and Information Association and Institutions (AfLIA).
She also acted as a mentor in the second cohort of the programme (May 2018–May 2020).
Through her drive for Public-Private Partnerships and advocacy programmes in the Education Resource Centre, Neemat facilitated the signing of an MOU between the FCTA and the US Embassy of Abuja in August 2019, which led to the positioning of American Space Abuja at the City Library.
The Space serves as an avenue for program and engagement of Nigeria youths positively. The Space was officially commissioned by the then Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Musa Bello and the US Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard on 12th March, 2020.
Her dedication and hard work has also being seen in her transformation of the FCT Education Resource Centre within the few years of heading the Centre.
This has earned her the FCTA Outstanding Leader’s Award, in 2020. Under her leadership, the FCT Education Resource Centre came second as the Most Improved SDA in IGR for the 2022 FCTA Award.
Her performance in the line of duty has earned her various awards of excellence and recognition both locally and internationally.
Some of which are;
Silent Hero in Education June 2025
Royal Meritorious Service Award for Outstanding Performance, October, 2024.
Prestigious Awards as An Icon of Integrity, September 2024
United Nations Ambassador for World Peace (AMBP-UN)
March 2024.
Icon & Cynosure of Greater Nigeria, October 2023.
NLA Brand Ambassador Award, September 2023Award of Certificate of Credence, August 2023.
Woman of the Year Award (July 2023).
“Beacon of Hope for Africa’s Development” Award (June 2023).
USA Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, (March 2023).
Outstanding Exemplary Woman in Education, (December 2022).
Visionary Commitment, Labour and Service Award, (December 2022).
African Public Library Trailblazer, (October 2018).
The Most Dynamic Staff of the Education Resource Centre, (2005)
As a leader, Neemat has been able to achieve this feat because she is generously endowed with a team building spirit, right organizational skills, the passion and above all, the right strategy to push leadership beyond the traditional frontiers.
A goal getter who is desirous to leave a landmark in the education landscape in FCTA, Neemat has over 30 years of experience as a Librarian and Education Administrator.
Within the years she has been on the driver seat, she has led and transformed the ERC into improving the quality of education, promoting out-of-school learning, strengthening the operational capabilities of the ERC, and providing support to the educational system in the FCT and beyond.
The seasoned administrator has introduced some innovations that has brought the Centre to the limelight and making it a vital arm of the Education Secretariat of the FCT Administration.
Neemat as the Director, plays a crucial role in shaping education policies and programmes in the FCT Education Secretariat.
She is determined to leave a landmark and improve the academic fortunes of education in FCT.
And she is making the dream come through as ERC has metamorphose into an engine room for educational transformation of the Wike led administration of Federal Capital Territory.
End.
Abdul wrote in from Abuja via abduljelil2001@gmail.com
