From Attah Ede, Makurdi

The Director General, Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency (BEQA), Dr. Terna Francis on Tuesday announced that henceforth, writing of mock examination has become basic and compulsory for all prospective candidates of West African Senior School Examination(WASSE) andNational Examination Council (NECO) in both public and private schools in the State.

He stated this during a meeting of the management of the Agency, Urban Development Board, Board of Internal Revenue Service and proprietors of private schools held at the BEQA headquarters in Makurdi. Francis has further intimated that out of the over 6000 private schools operating in the State, only 150 have been legally certified to have met the standards set by the Agency to operate, while 2,416 have been earmarked for demolition starting from September 3024.The DG noted that most of the schools to be demolished are privately owned and have failed to meet specified building standards and remit taxes to government coffers.He said the government is taking proactive steps to avoid schools collapse in the State especially with the recent incidence in Abuja and Plateau State, adding that the first step government had taken is to sensitize stakeholders on the need to ensure that they adhere strictly to laid down standards in building.He warned all those operating in unapproved structures to move out to better and safe places to avoid disasters.The GM Urban development has asked them to present their building plans and all that from now to the end of September. As it is now, we have identified 2,416 schools that do not have the approval of the Benue State government to operate.The General Manager, Benue State Urban Development Board, Town Planner Ternongo Mede said enough time has been given to the owners of illegal schools.According to him, the government had concluded plans to commence demolition, adding that today’s meeting is held to sensitize them and give reasons why such structures should be removed.Speaking on behalf of the private schools owners, Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Schools, Benue State chapter, Sunday Ojoh, stated that school owners use long period of time to establish their schools and therefore advocated for the need for government to give enough time to their owners to put things in order.He admitted that the current standard of schools in the State need to be improved and stepped up, stressing they will cooperate with the government to ensure that members run their schools based on established rules as enshrined in the national curriculum.Ojoh who commended the DG of BEQA for ensuring quality in private schools in the State, assured that the association will be happy to work with Urban development in order to get certification to be able to access funds from financial institutions.While decrying the high level of multiple taxations promised that they are not going to work against standards brought by the agency, adding that there are people with good intentions to operate schools but that some are operating mushroom schools with the aim of profiteering.He called on the Agency to organize training for schools operators across the state to acquaint them with the new innovations embarked upon by BEQA such as introduction of e- registration, e- dossiers etc.On his part, director, catholic education services Makurdi diocese, Rev. Fr. Peter Apagher, who spoke on behalf of the forum of mission education secretaries, assured that they will cooperate and support the Government to ensure that there is quality education in the State, saying that missionaries don’t operate schools on profit bases but rending services to humanity.He appealed to DG BEQ to allow school owners more time to develop their schools and move to permanent sites.On her part, representative of Federation of Muslim Women, Jamai Tu Islam, Hajiya Zainab Usman promised that they will put all that they have had into practice, and support the government to give quality education to Benue children.