Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has announced the suspension of government-sponsored WAEC and NECO registrations for citizens, citing that last year’s registration was an attempt to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy withdrawal. This announcement was made during a meeting with Principals of Secondary schools at Government College, Makurdi, on Monday, January 13, 2025.
Governor Alia also revealed plans to split the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management into two separate entities: the Ministry of Basic Education and the Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Education. Additionally, a new Commissioner will be announced at a later date.
The Governor expressed concerns about unacceptable developments in schools across the state, attributing the problems to the Principals. He emphasized that his government will not tolerate such practices and directed the Principals to submit a comprehensive report within 96 hours.
Key aspects of the report include:
– Total number of teachers and their subjects
– Non-teaching staff and school conditions
Governor Alia also banned cash collections, urging schools to adopt automated systems instead.
In response, President of the All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Benue state chapter, Mr. Robert Apir, thanked the Governor for his initiative and acknowledged the need for improvement. Apir assured the Governor that the Principals will take the necessary steps to address the issues, citing the Governor’s words as a catalyst for change.
Apir also appealed to the Governor to provide a bus for ANCOPSS, consider promoting education officers to grade level 17, and appreciated the separation of the ministry into two for effective administration. The Governor was honored with the “Inspirational Leadership and Catalyst for Development” award by the state leadership of ANCOPSS on behalf of the national Secretariat.
