- The meeting was an important part of his ongoing efforts to raise the state’s standards and engage educators
The Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency (BEQA) expressed concern that only 150 of the state’s 6,000 private schools are certified.
Dr. Terna Francis, Director General of BEQA, made this announcement during a meeting with key stakeholders at the BEQA headquarters.
The meeting, attended by Ternongo Mede, General Manager of the Benue State Urban Development Board, and Emmanuel Agema, Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), was held in response to plans to close unapproved schools and demolish substandard structures.
Dr. Francis emphasised that the meeting was an important part of his ongoing efforts to raise the state’s standards and engage educators.
He pointed out that, of the over 6,000 private schools in Benue, only about 150 are fully certified. He also highlighted the significant issue of schools failing to renew their registrations with BIRS for years.
The BEQA Director General condemned the state of many dilapidated school structures, deeming them unfit for effective learning.
He announced that starting from September, all school buildings will be required to undergo integrity tests, and only those that meet the necessary standards will be allowed to operate.
Additionally, Dr. Francis revealed that new schools must now obtain clearance from the Urban Development Board before BEQA grants final approval.
He assured stakeholders that the approval process has been streamlined, citing the example of Fr. Angus Fraser’s Memorial High School in Makurdi, which received approval within two weeks of application.
Dr. Francis also announced that the Mock SSCE will be mandatory for all students registering for WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB in 2025. Starting from September, schools will be required to implement e-dossiers, with each school obtaining a PIN for students to access their results, adding that BEQA headquarters will closely monitor the dashboards.
During the meeting, Mede, General Manager of the Urban Development Board, stressed the importance of schools adhering to all operational requirements, highlighting the government’s priority on student safety.
In their remarks, Hon. SA Ojo, Chairman of NAPPS; Rev. Fr. Peter Apagher, Director of Catholic Education Services; and Hajia Zainab Adamu Usman, representing Jama’atu Nasril Islam schools, all voiced their support for the enforcement of school closures for unapproved institutions.