The Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB) has directed Jewel Model School in Makurdi to refund the ₦106,000 it collected from parents as registration fees for WAEC and NECO examinations.
The decision followed multiple petitions from concerned parents who accused the school of imposing excessive and unjustified charges. After receiving the complaints, the board summoned the school’s proprietor, principal, and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) executives for clarification. However, they were unable to provide a valid justification for the amount charged.
Speaking on the matter, the Executive Secretary of BEQAEB, Dr Terna Francis, explained that the officially approved fee for WAEC stands at ₦28,000, while NECO has not yet released its official rate for the 2026 examination.
He stressed that schools are only allowed to collect fees approved by the appropriate examination bodies and may charge a maximum of ₦5,000 as handling fees for each examination.
Dr Francis also clarified that registering students for both WAEC and NECO is optional and should never be made compulsory. He added that any additional charges must be openly discussed and agreed upon by parents, rather than imposed by school management.
The executive secretary expressed concern over reports that parents at the school had limited opportunities to express their views. According to him, no PTA meetings had reportedly been held in the past two years, while parents were allegedly restricted from commenting on the school’s WhatsApp platform.
He further criticised the practice of paying school and examination fees into the proprietor’s personal bank account, describing it as a breach of accountability and transparency that weakens proper financial oversight.
To ensure compliance, Dr Francis directed the Director of Enforcement and Compliance Operations, Rev. Fr. Dr Terungwa Tor, to closely monitor the school and confirm that the refund is carried out without delay.
He warned that any school found exploiting parents or placing unnecessary financial pressure on learners risks having its operational licence withdrawn. Such practices, he said, contribute significantly to the rising number of out-of-school children in Benue State.
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