Benue seals two schools for forcing students to buy textbooks

The Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB) has sealed two schools, Orenda and Opal, in Makurdi over alleged victimisation of students and violations of the state government’s textbook policy.

Jeffrey Adzam, an information officer with the board, disclosed this in a statement, saying the action followed complaints from parents and the schools’ alleged failure to comply with government directives on textbook purchases and reuse.

The board’s executive secretary, Terna Francis, led officials of its Directorate of Enforcement and Compliance to the schools, where a court order authorising the sealing of the premises was served on the proprietor before the facilities were locked.

According to the statement, the government’s textbook policy allows parents to reuse textbooks among their children and purchase approved books from external bookstores rather than being compelled to buy them directly from schools.

Mr Francis said the affected schools allegedly insisted that learners purchase textbooks from them, contrary to the policy.

He also said parents complained that some learners whose school fees had been paid but whose parents could not afford the prescribed textbooks were subjected to punitive treatment, including having their homework left unmarked.

The statement added that some parents who had already purchased the prescribed textbooks from external bookstores alleged that the schools refused to allow their children to use them.

According to the complaints, the school management insisted that the parents either buy new textbooks directly from the schools or withdraw their children.

Mr Francis described the alleged practices as unacceptable, saying they undermined the welfare of learners and placed unnecessary financial pressure on parents.

Government directives

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported on 7 September that the Benue State Government had issued directives prohibiting compulsory after-school lessons and restricting schools’ textbook practices for the 2026/2027 academic session.

The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Margaret Adamu, said Parent-Teacher Associations seeking to organise lessons outside regular school hours must obtain approval from the ministry and must not make the lessons compulsory.

Mrs Adamu also directed schools to use government-approved textbooks, prohibited restricted or customised non-transferable textbooks and said parents must be allowed to purchase approved books either from schools or other sources.

She further directed schools not to include textbook costs in school fees and warned that schools and individuals who violated the directives would face sanctions.

The latest action against Orenda and Opal schools follows complaints that the schools allegedly failed to comply with the textbook policy.

Court order

Mr Francis said the board had invited the proprietor and school administrators to a meeting to address the complaints, but they failed to honour the invitation.

He said BEQAEB subsequently approached the court through the state attorney-general and obtained an order authorising the sealing of the premises.

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The statement also alleged that the proprietor, Onyinye Okoye, and some staff members verbally assaulted the board’s officials after the court order was served and damaged a vehicle belonging to the board.

The allegations have not been independently verified.

The board condemned the reported incident, saying disputes with regulatory authorities should be resolved through lawful channels rather than violence or intimidation.

It said the schools would remain sealed until their proprietors and administrators met the board’s conditions and demonstrated compliance with government regulations, respect for court orders and commitment to protecting learners’ rights.

Mr Francis urged parents and guardians to submit formal petitions, supported by relevant evidence, when they experience similar alleged violations of education policies.

He said the board would investigate such complaints and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.