Governor Alia Declares Free Education In Benue

Benue State governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has declared free education in all public schools beginning from basic one to nine.

The governor stated this at the maiden edition of the Benue Basic Education Summit at the College of Health Sciences, Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi.

Governor Alia said his administration, which has recruited over 9,700 teachers, consistently paid salaries, and implemented the harmonized retirement age for teachers, was determined to ensure that no child of school age was left out of school.

He emphasised that his decision to make Basic One to Nine free was to make provision for the poor and vulnerables in the society and prepare a solid foundation for the leaders of tomorrow.

Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity, and Strategic Communication, Chief Solomon Iorpev, in a statement on Friday, said Alia called on parents, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders to help his administration in enforcing the free and compulsory basic education.

Governor Alia added that the future of the state depended on the young ones and it behoved on the leaders to prepare them for it.

In addition, the governor launched the historic project ‘Building Rights to Access and Compulsory Education for Un-enrolled Pupils (BRACE-UP)’, a sustainable, evidence-based strategy to ensure that every Benue child is enrolled, retained, and empowered through quality basic education.

The governor said BRACE-UP will mobilise community leaders, parents, and teachers to identify out-of-school children, create flexible learning pathways, and track each learner’s progress from enrollment to completion.

He promised that Benue State, under his watch, will continue to ensure catalytic funding as well as policy regulations that mirror the UBE Act and prioritise compulsory, free basic education for all Benue children.

In a related development, the national leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), led by Comrade Audu Titus Amba, presented a golden award for education and teacher friendliness to Governor Alia.

The recognition, according to the union, validated the collective efforts of the Alia-led administration in revitalising basic education across Benue State.

Responding, Governor Alia promised to pay a month arrears to retired teachers and assured them of his determination to work tirelessly towards their welfare. “You have taught me and I won’t cheat you,” he said.