BEQAEB Closes Schools for Violating Textbook Policy

The Benue Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB) has sealed Orenda and Opal Schools due to alleged victimization of learners and violations of the Benue State Government’s textbook policy. Dr. Terna Francis, the Executive Secretary of BEQAEB, led the enforcement team to serve a court order on the schools' proprietor before sealing the premises.

The government’s policy allows parents to reuse textbooks and purchase them from external bookstores, which the affected schools disregarded by insisting that students buy textbooks directly from them. Reports indicated that learners whose parents paid fees but could not buy the prescribed textbooks faced punitive treatment, including unmarked homework.

Parents who purchased textbooks from external sources were reportedly dismissed by the school management. Despite BEQAEB's invitation for a meeting to address these complaints, the schools did not attend, prompting the Board to seek a court order for sealing the premises.