The Benue State House of Assembly has put the Bureau of Education Quality Assurance (BEQA) on notice, demanding a signed copy of the Executive Order establishing the agency. This development comes amidst a lingering crisis between the Ministry of Education and BEQA, which has been ongoing for over a year.
According to Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Rev. Dr. Frederick Ikyaan, the issue stems from an attitudinal problem, citing BEQA’s confiscation and destruction of another agency’s records. Ikyaan clarified that the Governor had explicitly outlined BEQA’s mandate, and there was no need for the agency to announce its independence from the ministry.
BEQA’s Director General, Dr. Terna Francis, admitted that the agency received an unsigned Executive Order from the state Attorney General, which cited gazetted sections. However, committee members deemed the document invalid due to the lack of signature. “The document is not valid since it is not signed and as such cannot be tendered anywhere,” stated Hon. Simon Gabo.
The committee demanded a signed copy of the Executive Order before proceeding with the discussion. Stakeholders, including the President of All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) and the Acting Executive Secretary of the Benue State Teaching Service Board, pleaded with the committee to resolve the issue, citing its negative impact on their operations. The hearing was adjourned to a later date, pending the submission of the signed Executive Order.
