Benue State has implemented a strict ban on mobile phones in schools and prohibited supplementary lessons outside regular hours as part of a wider effort to enforce discipline and improve safety in educational institutions. The new regulations, introduced by the state’s education commissioner, seek to ease financial pressures on families, enhance learning conditions, and shield students from potentially harmful practices. Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management Margaret Adamu announced the measures in a press briefing held in Makurdi on Monday, marking the official start of the academic year. The directives were framed as part of a broader initiative to standardize education across the state, addressing long-standing issues such as irregular attendance, digital distractions, and exploitative tutoring practices.
Restrictions on Devices, Late Sessions, and External Access
Mobile bans and stricter school access controls
The policy, effective at the beginning of the academic year, explicitly prohibits students from using mobile phones during school hours. Additionally, schools are now forbidden from offering private tutoring or additional classes beyond the official curriculum. The government has also tightened controls over school premises, requiring all external organizations—including non-governmental groups, researchers, and advocacy networks—to obtain prior authorization from the Ministry of Education and Knowledge Management before entering any facility. Adamu clarified during the briefing that no NGO, individual, or external body may conduct programs, research, advocacy, or interventions in schools without explicit ministry approval, emphasizing that even well-intentioned external activities could disrupt the structured learning environment.
Education Commissioner Margaret Adamu justified the measures by stating they would reduce the financial burden on families. Many parents in Benue State already face significant expenses for extra lessons, uniforms, and tuition fees. By eliminating unofficial tutoring, the government intends to redirect these costs toward more essential household needs. The ban on supplementary lessons also aims to prevent the creation of parallel educational systems where wealthier families can afford additional instruction while others cannot, thereby widening inequality. Adamu noted that informal tutoring often leads to unequal learning opportunities, as students from lower-income backgrounds are less likely to participate in such programs.
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Adamu also addressed attendance issues, warning schools against lenient policies on tardiness. Unauthorized absences, late arrivals, and lingering outside class periods will now be classified as violations, demanding corrective measures from school authorities. The directive mandates that schools enforce strict punctuality and confine students to designated areas during instructional time. In her address, Adamu emphasized that learners must resume school on time, attend classes regularly, and remain within authorized school areas, adding that truancy and loitering would no longer be tolerated. Schools are expected to implement disciplinary actions for repeated offenses, though specific penalties have not been outlined beyond existing legal frameworks.
Prohibitions on Harassment and Harmful Traditions
Crackdown on bullying and unsafe student traditions
The regulations also target student conduct, with a clear ban on bullying, harassment, and initiation rituals. Adamu condemned what she described as “brutal birthday celebration customs,” such as physical roughhousing among classmates, declaring such behavior incompatible with the state’s safety standards. She specifically referenced practices where students physically manhandle celebrants in classrooms, hostels, or other school areas, labeling them as barbaric and unacceptable under the new framework. The directive requires school authorities to establish and maintain safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environments, ensuring that no form of violence or intimidation is permitted among students.
Parents and guardians face new limitations as well. Physical or verbal aggression against school staff will now be classified as serious offenses, with disputes required to be settled through official administrative procedures rather than direct confrontations. Adamu warned that assaults, threats, or verbal abuse directed at teachers, principals, or other school personnel would be addressed through formal channels, reinforcing the need for conflict resolution within the established system. This measure aims to protect educators and maintain professionalism in school environments, where confrontations often escalate due to unchecked emotions or misunderstandings.
Schools that fail to comply risk penalties, though the government has not detailed specific consequences beyond referencing existing laws. Adamu stressed that ignorance of the rules would not serve as an excuse, placing full accountability on school administrators to implement the changes. She directed proprietors, principals, and heads of institutions to familiarize themselves with all relevant ministry directives and ensure full compliance, warning that non-adherence would attract sanctions under applicable laws. The emphasis on accountability extends to both public and private schools, with no exceptions granted for proprietary institutions.
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Balancing discipline with digital age challenges
These measures align with the state’s broader initiative to standardize education in Benue State, where informal tutoring and off-curriculum learning have historically been widespread. While some families may oppose the ban on additional lessons, officials argue the restrictions will create a more organized and fair system. The focus on mobile phones also responds to rising concerns about digital distractions in Nigerian classrooms, where devices often disrupt learning and support social issues such as cyberbullying. Adamu acknowledged that the digital age presents new challenges, but the ban aims to prioritize academic focus and reduce the influence of external digital influences during school hours.
Opponents may raise doubts about enforcement given existing challenges. Many schools in the state contend with overcrowding, inadequate funding, and teacher shortages—conditions that could weaken even the most rigorous policies. Despite these concerns, the government maintains the changes are essential to protect students and alleviate unnecessary financial strain on households. The directives also seek to address systemic issues, such as the exploitation of students through unofficial tutoring schemes that often operate without oversight, ensuring that educational resources are distributed more equitably. Adamu reiterated that the reforms are necessary to uphold the state’s commitment to safe, disciplined, and accessible education for all learners.
The new rules apply equally to public and private institutions, offering no exceptions. While enforcement remains a test, the state has made it clear that adherence is mandatory. The full nature of the directives, covering devices, attendance, external access, and student conduct, reflects a holistic approach to school management, aiming to create environments where learning can thrive without disruption or exploitation. The government’s stance shows its determination to prioritize student welfare and academic integrity over traditional but harmful practices.
