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The Benue State Government has welcomed learners across the state back to school for the 2026/2027 academic session, with a charge to teachers and school administrators to make teaching and learning their highest priority.
The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Mrs Margaret Adamu, made this call while briefing newsmen in her office in Makurdi on Monday.
Adamu also urged parents, proprietors and other education stakeholders to renew their commitment to improving learning outcomes and ensuring strict compliance with approved education policies of the state government.
In a resumption message, Mrs Adamu congratulated learners, parents, teachers, school proprietors and education managers for successfully concluding the long vacation, urging them to approach the new session with discipline, commitment, and determination.
The commissioner, who was flanked by her counterpart from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, said the new academic session provides another opportunity to strengthen the quality of education in the state and produce responsible, knowledgeable, skilled and patriotic citizens.
She highlighted several interventions by Governor Hyacinth Alia in the education sector, including the recruitment of more than 9,000 teachers, construction and renovation of over 400 public schools and implementation of free and compulsory education in public basic schools.
She also named regular payment of workers’ salaries, scholarships for indigent students, distribution of teaching and learning materials to schools and internally displaced persons’ camps, support for school sporting activities and digital skills training for students.
She also cited the BRACE-UP initiative, designed to reduce the population of out-of-school children in the state.
Mrs Adamu said the interventions must be matched with commitment from teachers and school managers to translate government investment into improved learning outcomes.
She therefore charged principals, headteachers, teachers and school management teams to prioritise teaching and learning, ensure regular attendance, maintain discipline, protect school facilities, keep proper administrative and financial records and consistently monitor students’ academic performance.
She particularly urged teachers to be punctual, committed and innovative in the discharge of their responsibilities, while ensuring that every learner receives the attention and support required to succeed.
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She urged parents and guardians to support their children’s education by providing approved learning materials, monitoring their attendance and academic progress and maintaining constructive communication with school authorities.
She said schools have been mandated to use only approved main textbooks, while the government has prohibited the use of customised books and non-transferable textbooks, and clarified that the cost of textbooks must not be embedded in school fees, as parents are free to purchase approved books from schools or elsewhere.
According to her, the government also prohibited compulsory extra lessons after regular school hours, adding that any Parent-Teacher Association seeking to organise extra lessons must obtain approval from the Ministry, and participation must not be made compulsory.
On graduation ceremonies, the government reiterated that such ceremonies would not be permitted for learners in Early Childhood Care, Development and Education, Lower Basic and Middle Basic classes, but only for exit classes whose learners are to receive certificates, including Upper Basic 9, SS3 and Technical 3.
The government also prohibited what it described as barbaric forms of birthday celebrations in schools, including the manhandling of learners celebrating their birthdays.
It warned parents and guardians against assaulting, threatening, intimidating or verbally abusing teachers, principals and other school staff, urging them to channel grievances through appropriate authorities.
The government also prohibited the possession or use of mobile phones by learners during school hours, except where specifically authorised for legitimate educational purposes.
She also directed schools to address lateness, truancy and loitering, while bullying, intimidation, harassment, hazing and all forms of violence among learners remain prohibited.
She warned that schools and individuals who fail to comply with approved policies and directives would face appropriate sanctions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
She further encouraged learners to return to school with enthusiasm, respect for authority and commitment to their studies, while taking full advantage of the opportunities provided by the government and school authorities.
