Benue govt moves to curb excessive fees charged by private school owners

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Benue State Government has warned that it will no longer tolerate private school owners imposing what it described as outrageous fees and unauthorised levies that place undue financial pressure on parents across the state.

The move comes as part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce financial pressure on parents while enforcing standards in the education sector.

The warning was delivered by Dr. Terna Francis, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB), in response to criticisms from the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), which accused the board of overzealous regulation.

Dr. Francis, however, insisted that “fee regulation is not arbitrary. It is embedded in the approval process for school establishment. You are not expected to review any fee without recourse to us for approval,” he said, emphasising that government oversight was designed to ensure fairness.

Highlighting the disparity between school fees and teacher salaries, Dr. Francis questioned the ethics of some private school practices. “Parents are sometimes charged as much as N300,000 in school fees while teachers earn as little as N30,000 monthly. Where is the justice? Where is the fairness?” he asked.

He noted that the intervention aligns with Governor Hyacinth Alia’s directive to reduce the educational burden on parents. “The governor has made it very clear that he wants to reduce school burden on parents,” Dr. Francis said.

He stressed that all regulatory actions by BEQAEB were backed by law. The board’s mandate includes monitoring, regulating, accrediting, and sanctioning schools across the state.

“Resistance from schools and proprietors is often inevitable whenever regulations are enforced,” Dr. Francis admitted, adding that the Governor’s decision to strengthen Quality Assurance independently from the Ministry of Education was aimed at a more rigorous oversight mechanism.

Dr. Francis pointed to the enabling law, which empowered BEQAEB to inspect and regulate schools to ensure compliance with approved standards. “This legal backing allows us to scrutinize school operations closely and enforce education reforms properly,” he explained.

He also highlighted government investments in education, including the construction of new primary schools, renovation of existing facilities, and the recruitment of over 9,000 teachers through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

“In 2025, the education sector received over 15 percent of the state budget. This has risen to 25.29 percent in 2026, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to reform,” Dr. Francis noted, stressing that financial backing reflects serious dedication to improving standards.

The reforms, he noted, also cover policy enforcement such as reusing textbooks, banning graduation ceremonies for non-certification classes, and prohibiting compulsory lessons for kindergarten and lower basic education learners.

On the issues of fees, Dr. Francis referred to the Revenue Administration Law and the 2026 budget estimates. He cited instances where schools charged N35,000 for the Basic Education Certificate Examination, BECE, far above the approved N10,250, and up to N100,000 for WAEC instead of the official N27,500. “These practices will be brought to an end,” he vowed.

He acknowledged challenges inherited by BEQAEB, including delays in releasing results and shortages of exam materials, attributing them to poor planning and neglect of statutory responsibilities by some school principals.

To curb manipulation and delays, the board introduced the e-Dossier system, allowing schools to upload Continuous Assessment and examination scores in real time. Dr. Francis noted that, “any student movement is flagged automatically, eliminating the so-called ‘miracle centres’ where pupils switch schools just before external exams.”

He reassured parents and educators that BEQAEB will continue enforcing approved fees, limiting handling charges to a maximum of N5,000, and ensuring timely release of BECE and Mock-SSCE results. “We are committed to protecting learners and parents while restoring discipline, credibility, and standardization in Benue State’s education system,” he assured.

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