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The Benue State Government has ordered the closure of two private schools in Makurdi over allegations that pupils were being denied proper attention for failing to purchase exercise and test books directly from the institutions. The affected schools, Orenda and Opal Schools, were sealed by the state’s Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board following complaints from concerned parents.
Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Terna Francis, said the action followed repeated reports that pupils were being penalised despite their parents having paid the required school fees. He alleged that some children were prevented from participating fully in classroom activities because their families did not buy the books from the schools.
According to the board, efforts to resolve the dispute through discussions and formal invitations to the school management did not produce the desired outcome. Further complaints reportedly indicated that some pupils’ homework was not marked and that restrictions were placed on bringing certain books into classrooms.
The government maintains that its textbook policy allows parents to reuse suitable books from older children or purchase approved learning materials from any convenient source. Schools may sell textbooks, but parents should not be compelled to buy them exclusively from the institutions their children attend.
The board said the schools were sealed following a court order obtained in collaboration with the state Attorney-General and would remain closed until the necessary conditions for reopening were met. It has also urged parents experiencing similar problems in other schools to submit formal complaints, warning school proprietors against violating policies designed to protect learners and reduce the financial burden on families.
