The Benue State Government has intensified its efforts to reform the education sector by announcing a total ban on illegal fees in public and private secondary schools. The government also introduced a mandatory electronic dossier system, known as the e-Dossier, which will be used to track every student’s academic record from primary to senior secondary school.
The announcement was made in Makurdi during the first official meeting between the Benue Education Quality Assurance and Examination Board (BEQAEB) and secondary school principals. The meeting marked the beginning of a new phase in the state’s plan to strengthen accountability, improve record keeping and reduce corruption within the education system.
The Executive Secretary of BEQAEB, Dr. Terna Francis, told school heads that the era of unauthorized levies and informal financial demands has come to an end. He stressed that schools must follow the approved fee structure and warned that anyone caught violating the directive will face strict sanctions.
For years, parents and guardians in Benue State have complained about extra charges imposed by some school authorities, often without government approval. These illegal fees, which include charges for exams, uniforms, building projects, and administrative services, have placed additional financial pressure on families, especially in rural areas.
Many parents say these charges discourage enrolment and contribute to the number of children dropping out of school. Education experts have also warned that unregulated fees widen inequality between children from poor homes and those from better-off families.
The state government’s latest decision is part of a series of reforms aimed at stopping these practices and restoring public confidence in the school system.
Dr. Francis explained that the newly introduced e-Dossier will serve as a digital record of each student’s educational journey. The system will contain academic history, performance reports, exam registrations, and records of school transfers.
According to him, the digital platform will address long-standing challenges associated with missing files, falsified results, poor documentation, and delays in processing academic records.
“The e-Dossier will track each learner’s academic record from Basic 1 to SS3 and allow the board to monitor performance, student migration, and examination registration,” he said. “It will also eliminate excuses, speed up result processing, and restore credibility to our education system.”
Dr. Francis explained that with digital records, the board will be able to identify irregularities quickly, follow up on cases of malpractice, and ensure schools meet the expected standards of operation.
The Executive Secretary also announced that all examination-related payments have been fully digitised. From now on, students and parents must complete all payments online or directly through banks, using platforms approved by BEQAEB.
He said the days of cash transactions, handwritten receipts, or informal payment channels are over. These practices, he added, have created loopholes that enable fraud, extortion, and mismanagement of funds.
“Cash payments and handwritten receipts are no longer acceptable,” he warned. “Anyone caught collecting cash will be sanctioned.”
According to the board, digital payments will make financial processes more transparent and prevent school officials from adding unauthorized charges. The system will also allow parents to track their payments and avoid disputes over missing receipts.
The introduction of the e-Dossier and the ban on illegal fees aligns with broader efforts by the Benue State Government to digitise public services and reduce corruption. Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration has repeatedly stated its commitment to improving education quality, modernising school administration, and ensuring that children across the state have equal access to learning opportunities.
Dr. Francis urged secondary school principals to cooperate fully with the new policies and begin implementation without delay. He said BEQAEB will carry out unannounced inspections in schools to ensure compliance with the new system.
He also encouraged school administrators to train their staff to use the digital platforms and to sensitise parents on how the new payment and record-keeping systems work.
“We expect school heads to lead by example,” he said. “This reform is designed to strengthen our schools, not to punish anyone. But we will not tolerate those who deliberately try to frustrate the process.”
Benue State has been implementing several reforms aimed at lifting standards in schools. Recent steps include:
Renovation of classrooms across different local government areas
Training programmes for teachers
Review of school supervision methods
Crackdown on examination malpractice
Introduction of digital tools in education management
Despite these efforts, challenges remain, including overcrowded classrooms, limited access to learning materials, and poor infrastructure in some rural schools. The government hopes the new reforms will help close some of these gaps.
