Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Benue State Government has sealed two private schools in Makurdi over alleged violations of its textbook policy and complaints that pupils were victimised for failing to buy prescribed books directly from the schools. The Benue Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board sealed Orenda and Opal Schools after petitions from parents and the failure of the school proprietor and administrators to honour invitations to address the complaints.
The board’s Executive Secretary, Dr 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 a statement issued by the board’s Information Officer, Jeffrey Adzam, the government’s policy allows parents to reuse textbooks previously purchased for older children. Parents are also permitted to obtain textbook lists from schools and purchase the required books from bookstores outside the schools. However, the board alleged that the affected schools insisted that parents purchase textbooks directly from them, contrary to the policy.
Francis said the board received reports that some pupils whose parents had paid their school fees but 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 bought the books from external vendors alleged that the schools refused to allow their children to use them during the current academic session. According to the board, the parents were told to either purchase new textbooks directly from the schools or withdraw their children and enrol them elsewhere. It further alleged that pupils were barred from bringing textbooks bought outside the schools into their classrooms, leaving some of them demoralised.
Francis described the alleged practices as unacceptable and inconsistent with the protection of learners’ rights and welfare under applicable laws in Benue State and Nigeria. He explained that the government’s policy was intended to provide flexibility for parents, promote the reuse of textbooks where appropriate and prevent schools from imposing unnecessary restrictions that undermine the interests of learners and their families. He said the board had invited the proprietor and school administrators to a meeting to resolve the complaints, but they failed to attend. According to the statement, the board subsequently approached the court through the Benue State Attorney-General and obtained an order authorising the sealing of the school premises.
The board also alleged that the proprietor, Onyinye Okoye, led members of staff in an attack on Francis and his team after the court order had been served. The statement said the incident involved verbal assaults on the officials and the destruction of an official vehicle belonging to the board. 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 its conditions, complied with government regulations and demonstrated a commitment to protecting the rights of pupils and parents.
The sealing of Orenda and Opal Schools forms part of a broader effort by the Benue State Government to regulate activities in private schools across the state. In September 2026, the government banned compulsory extra lessons after regular school hours and prohibited the use of customised and non-transferable textbooks as pupils and students returned for the 2026/2027 academic session. The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr Frederick Ikyaan, said the measures were aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents and ensuring that schools operated within approved guidelines. The government directed that schools must use only approved main textbooks and warned that the cost of books should not be incorporated into school fees, as parents should have the freedom to purchase approved books either directly from schools or from other sources.
The policy has been welcomed by parents’ groups and education stakeholders, who have long complained about the practice of schools compelling parents to buy textbooks and other materials directly from the institutions at inflated prices. The practice has been identified as a significant contributor to the rising cost of education in Nigeria, where many families struggle to afford school fees and associated expenses. The Benue State Government’s decision to enforce the policy through the sealing of schools is intended to send a strong signal that violations will not be tolerated. Francis said the enforcement action was also intended to serve as a warning to other private schools in the state. “We want to warn that if there is a breach in any school at all by any administrator or proprietor, we are going to clamp down on the school aggressively,” he said.
The political context of the enforcement action is significant. The 2027 general elections are less than four months away, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6. Governor Hyacinth Alia, who assumed office in May 2023, has prioritised education reform as part of his administration’s agenda, and the enforcement of the textbook policy is consistent with his stated commitment to improving access to quality education and reducing the financial burden on families. The Benue State Government has also invested in education infrastructure and teacher training, and the enforcement action against Orenda and Opal Schools reflects a determination to ensure that private schools operate within the regulatory framework established by the state.
For the parents who filed the petitions, the sealing of the schools represents a measure of accountability for practices they considered exploitative and unfair. For the pupils who were allegedly victimised, the action offers a measure of validation after being denied the right to use textbooks their parents had legally purchased elsewhere. For the proprietors of the two schools, the closure represents a significant disruption to their operations and a warning that continued non-compliance could result in further sanctions. The schools will remain sealed until they meet the conditions set by the board and demonstrate a willingness to operate in accordance with government policies and respect the rights of learners and parents.
As the board continues its enforcement activities, parents and guardians whose children experience similar forms of alleged victimisation or violations of government education policies have been urged to submit formal petitions to BEQAEB, accompanied by relevant evidence. Francis assured the public that such complaints would be investigated and appropriate action taken in accordance with the law. For the people of Benue State, the sealing of Orenda and Opal Schools is a reminder that the government has established a regulatory framework for private education and that schools that violate it will be held accountable. The coming weeks will determine whether the enforcement action prompts other schools to comply with the textbook policy or whether further sanctions become necessary.
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