Benue State Government has intensified efforts to curb illegal fees in public schools, unveiling a zero-tolerance policy against unauthorized charges by school heads and administrators.
The Executive Secretary of the Benue Education Quality Assurance and Examination Board (BEQAEB), Dr. Terna Francis, issued the warning during a meeting with principals of public and private schools in Makurdi.
He explained that the government has made the e-Dossier platform mandatory for all learners, describing it as an automated system designed to track academic performance and provide credible records from Basic 1 to Basic 9 and SS 1 to SS 3.
Dr. Terna said the initiative will enable the board to monitor student progress, evaluate school performance, and oversee the movement of learners between schools. He also announced that all examination payments have been automated and must now be completed online or through banks to eliminate corruption and financial malpractice.
He stressed that board personnel are prohibited from receiving payments, issuing receipts, or acting as intermediaries for schools or candidates, directing all administrators to lodge complaints and requests only through official communication channels.
“The new BEQAEB is, therefore, not a cosmetic change; it is a total rebirth aimed at efficiency, integrity, and accountability.
“Our examination system lost credibility. The defunct Benue State Examinations Board, as you well know, became synonymous with corruption, inefficiency and lost confidence.
“We witnessed delays in the release of results, years of unissued certificates, irregularities in exam conduct, and a deep erosion of public trust.
“These failures embarrassed our education system and robbed our students of the dignity of genuine assessment,” he said.
