The Director General, Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency (BEQA), Dr. Terna Francis has expressed concern that only 150 out of the 6,000 private schools operating in the state are certified.
Dr. Francis this during a meeting with key stakeholders at the BEQA headquarters, in the light of plans to close unapproved schools and demolish substandard structures.
Dr. Francis explained that over 6,000 private schools in Benue, only about 150 are fully certified, stressing that the meeting was part of ongoing efforts to improve standards in the state.
The BEQA Director General condemned the state of many dilapidated school structures, deeming them unfit for effective learning, saying as 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.
He added that “new schools must now obtain clearance from the Urban Development Board before BEQA grants final approval”.
Dr. Francis assured stakeholders that the approval process has been streamlined, saying Fr. Angus Fraser’s Memorial High School in Makurdi, has 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.
Also, speaking, Mede, General Manager of the Urban Development Board, said based on the government’s priority on student safety; schools should adhere to all operational requirements.
In their separate 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, declared their support for the enforcement of school closures for unapproved institutions.
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