By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
The Benue State Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA) and the Benue State Urban Development Board (UDB) have collaborated to demolish substandard schools in the state by the end of the 2023/2024 academic session.
This decision was made to restore excellence in the state’s education sector and ensure the safety of learners.
Dr. Terna Francis, Director General of BEQA, expressed concern over the deteriorated state of education in the state and emphasized the bureau’s role in reviving the sector.
“Our office is tasked with the responsibility of closing schools that fail to meet establishment guidelines, education laws, as well as the national policy on education,” he said.
The BEQA boss lamented the poor conditions of many schools and reiterated the bureau’s readiness to enforce compliance.
He stated that by the end of the term, BEQA will publish a list of substandard schools operating in the state and advised parents to withdraw their children from such schools for quality-assured ones. “We will not only seal these schools but also demolish structures that threaten learners’ safety,” he explained.
The General Manager of UDB, Ternongo Mede, welcomed the BEQA team and acknowledged the great strides the DG was taking towards strengthening the quality of education in the state.
He pledged the board’s full cooperation to implement the vibrant policies and programs. “Education in the state has become business for many people, but we are prepared to synergize with BEQA to commence this exercise of demolishing illegal school structures immediately,” Mede stressed.
The inter-agency collaboration meeting was attended by directors and staff from both BEQA and UDB, and it marked the beginning of a new era in the state’s education sector.