Revenue Collection Tears Commissioner, Director General Apart in Benue

The ministry of education and knowledge management and the Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA) in Benue State has been characterized by accusations and counter-accusations over revenue collections from private and public schools in the State.

While the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management claimed that only his ministry is saddle with the responsibility of collecting charges and dues from schools on behalf of the State government, the Director General of Bureau for Education Quality Assurance, is insisting that the executive order establishing the Agency has empowered it to engage in the collection of all charges.

The Commissioner of Education and Knowledge Management, Pst.

Frederick Ikyaan and the Director General (DG) Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), Dr Terna Francis are at the centre of the fight.In a series of letters exchanged between the two top officials, they all insisted on the collection of the revenue on behalf of the government.In a letter to education stakeholders in the state, titled “Strong Directive” which was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Helen Nambativ for the commissioner, Ikyaan categorically told the schools not to conduct any financial transaction with the bureau.He also directed the stakeholders to resist every attempt by BEQA staff to confiscate the Federal and Benue State Government approved school records, stressing that the bureau has no power to do so.But in a swift response to the ministry’s letter, Dr Terna Francis, DG, BEQA stated emphatically that the bureau was not under the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management.Francis in his letter titled “Re: Strong Directive” said the bureau was established by the governor through Executive Order issued on 8th December 2023, published and gazetted in the same year.

He said according to the order existing Quality Assurance Departments /Directorates under the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management, along with other Departments performing quality assurance functions within the Benue State Education Sector, shall be merged into BEQA, which will continue to carry out its functions.”The order also empowered BEQA to produce and circulate all school records and guidelines and my directive was in line with the Executive Order.”It is essential to understand that when a Governor makes a public pronouncement or issues an executive order, public servants and all responsible are expected to comply without challenge.”Executive orders are official documents and laws that outline the policies, procedures, or actions the Governor wishes to implement. Challenging or attempting to alter an executive order can lead to serious consequences”, Terna stated.