BEQAEB Boss Francis Explains Board’s Revenue Drive, Says NAPPS Opposition Unfound

 

The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB), Dr.

Terna Francis, has said that all revenue-related activities being carried out by the board are firmly grounded in law.

Dr. Francis made the clarification while reacting to allegations by the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Benue State Chapter, which recently called for his removal from office.

In a communiqué, NAPPS accused the BEQAEB boss of engaging in what it described as unhealthy rivalry with the state Ministry of Education, alleging that the situation had subjected private schools to conflicting directives, overlapping controls, multiple and illegal levies, and regulatory uncertainty. The association claimed that the development had turned private schools into victims of inter-agency conflict.
NAPPS further alleged that the jurisdictional dispute was affecting the registration of candidates for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations. The group urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to scrap BEQAEB and return its functions to the Ministry of Education.
Speaking with journalists in his office in Makurdi, Dr. Francis explained that BEQAEB’s mandate, reforms and enforcement measures apply to both public and private schools across the state, stressing that the board remains one of the most disciplined regulatory agencies in Benue State.
He said the reaction from NAPPS stemmed from the board’s strict enforcement of government policies, which he noted had blocked practices that previously allowed some school proprietors to make excessive financial gains.
Dr. Francis observed that resistance from school owners was often inevitable whenever regulations were enforced, adding that the Governor’s decision to strengthen quality assurance by separating it from the Ministry of Education was intended to ensure more effective and independent monitoring of schools.
Citing the board’s enabling law, he stated that BEQAEB is empowered to inspect, monitor, regulate, accredit and sanction both public and private schools to ensure compliance with approved minimum standards. According to him, this legal framework informed the establishment of the board to allow for closer scrutiny of school operations and the effective implementation of education sector reforms.
He explained that part of the ongoing reforms includes the enforcement of policies such as the re-use of textbooks, the prohibition of graduation ceremonies for non-certificate classes, and the ban on compulsory lessons for kindergarten and lower basic education pupils.
On the issue of levies, the BEQAEB Executive Secretary referred to the Revenue Administration Law and the approved 2026 budget estimates, noting that items such as Quality Control, Workshop, Sports and ICT Development levies are clearly provided for. He stressed that the board has never collected any revenue outside what is captured in its statutory mandate.
Dr. Francis disclosed that some of the backlash followed BEQAEB’s queries over exorbitant fees charged by certain schools, including BECE fees of up to N35,000 instead of the approved N10,250, and WAEC fees ranging from N70,000 to N100,000 despite the official fee being N27,000 with an additional N500 processing charge.
He said Governor Hyacinth Alia had made it clear that parents must not be overburdened with excessive fees, adding that such practices would no longer be tolerated. He warned that schools are only allowed to collect approved fees, noting that the Governor has directed that handling charges must not exceed N5,000 to ease the financial burden on parents.
Dr. Francis assured that BEQAEB would continue to enforce the law, protect learners and parents, and restore discipline, credibility and standardisation in the education system across Benue State.
He added that the state government has already demonstrated strong commitment to education through the construction of new primary school buildings, renovation of existing facilities, and the recruitment of over 10,000 teachers into basic education schools through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
According to him, the education sector received over 15 per cent of the state’s total budget in 2024 and 2025, with a significant increase to 25.29 per cent in the 2026 budget, describing the move as clear evidence of the administration’s resolve to implement meaningful reforms.