Benue mushroom schools education reform: Governor Alia reveals 4,000 substandard schools, 9,700 new teachers recruited, WAEC fees paid for 19,000 students

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has disclosed that over 4,000 mushroom schools have been identified across the state. These schools, he said, lack conducive learning environments and qualified teaching staff.

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Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, the governor shared this during a press briefing on Thursday, outlining his administration’s educational achievements over the past two years.

“In the 2023/2024 academic session, this administration paid the WAEC fees for 8,119 students, NECO fees for 8,979 students and also NABTEB fees for 1,547 students,” Tersoo stated.

“Also, the government has identified 4,000 schools that are substandard and not good for learning and do not have qualified teaching personnel.”

Governor Alia said his administration has recruited 9,700 qualified primary school teachers to strengthen public education and ensure better learning outcomes in the state.

He also confirmed that the backlog of 38 months of earned allowances owed to staff of the Moses Adasu University has been cleared. This move, he said, has helped stabilise tertiary institutions, allowing uninterrupted academic sessions.

“The present administration has stabilised the educational sector in the state with its various interventions,” Tersoo explained. “It will also interest you to know that the present administration has recruited 9,700 qualified primary school teachers to reposition our schools.”

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Additionally, the governor announced that the state has secured a licence to establish a University of Technology in Ihugh, located in Vandeikiya Local Government Area.