One Year in Office: A Milestone for Rev. Dr. Frederick Lanshima Ikyaan as Commissioner for Education & Knowledge Management, Benue State

The anniversary of Rev. Dr. Frederick Lanshima Ikyaan's tenure as Honorable Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management in Benue State marks a year of significant strides and impactful reforms. Inaugurated on August 28, 2023, and assuming office on August 29, 2023, Rev. Dr. Ikyaan has brought a wealth of experience and dedication to the role, building on his successful campaign leadership for the APC.

Here’s a look at the key achievements and initiatives under his leadership over the past year:

1. Department of Administration & Supply

• School Assessments and Interventions: Identified and selected 48 schools in need of federal intervention.
• Federal Visits: Hosted and validated visits from the Federal Ministry of Finance for safe school financing.
• Vehicle Refurbishment: Refurbished two ministry vehicles to enhance mobility.
• AGILE Project Enrollment: Successfully negotiated Benue’s inclusion in the AGILE project.

2. Department of Planning, Research, and Statistics

• Digital Education Access: Registered over 10,000 students on the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) platform.
• School Approvals: Granted operational approvals to several nursery, primary, and secondary schools.
• Consultancy and Data Management: Engaged Digiworld Synergy Ltd for setting up an Integrated Education Management Information System (EMIS).
• Safe School Initiative: Established a State Safe School Steering Committee and advanced work on a rapid response center in Makurdi.

3. Department of Special and Basic Education

• Financial Support: Paid for student feeding and examination registrations for specialized schools.
• Educational Summits: Sponsored participation in key educational summits and conferences.
• E-Learning Materials: Distributed e-learning materials to primary schools.
• Special Education Deployment: Deployed special education teachers to various schools.

4. Department of Secondary Education

• Textbook Distribution: Distributed free textbooks to schools across the state, benefiting private school owners for the first time.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Held periodic meetings with education stakeholders to address educational matters.
• Sports and Exams Coordination: Coordinated state representation in national sports events and payment of examination fees for government schools.

5. Department of Science and Technology Education

• Competitions Sponsorship: Sponsored various mathematics and science competitions, including the National Mathematical Centre competition and the SDG’s Girl Mathematics competition.

6. Department of Finance & Accounts

• Financial Management: Prepared monthly salary variation orders, reconciled bank accounts, and appraised budget performance up to February 2024.

7. Department of Tertiary Education

• Institutional Re-engineering: Initiated a review and re-engineering process for all tertiary institutions in the state.
• Governing Council Retreats: Organized retreats for chairpersons and members of tertiary institution governing councils.
• Private Institutions Engagement: Engaged with private tertiary institutions for effective partnerships.
• University Establishment: Began negotiations with NUC for the establishment of new universities in the state.

Parastatals Under Rev. Dr. Ikyaan’s Watch

Benue State Science and Technical Education Board (STEB)

• World Bank Project: Received World Bank intervention for technical colleges across the state.
• Training Programs: Hosted several training programs for staff and apprentices.
• Staff Promotions: Promoted both junior and senior staff members.
• Peace Building: Addressed disunity issues in science and technical colleges.

Benue State Examinations Board (BSEB)

• Student Exchange Programme: Coordinated student exchange programs and received significant funds for the initiative.
• Executive Secretary Appointment: Appointed a new Executive Secretary to oversee board activities.
• Allowances Implementation: Implemented 27% allowances for education officers.

Benue State Teaching Service Board (TSB)

• Staff Management: Updated staff payroll, restored regular salary payments, and resolved promotion cases.
• School Games: Organized state-level secondary school games and basketball competitions.
• Capacity Building: Provided staff training and infrastructure improvements.

Benue State Scholarships Board

• Scholarship Payments: Disbursed scholarship allowances to Benue State Law School students.

Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education (ANFEA)

• Funding and Promotions: Managed funding for operational expenses, promoted deserving staff, and conducted literacy examinations.

Rev. Dr. Frederick Lanshima Ikyaan’s tenure has been marked by substantial achievements and improvements across various educational sectors in Benue State. His commitment to enhancing education and knowledge management has been evident through numerous initiatives and reforms aimed at elevating the educational landscape of the state.

Congratulations to Rev. Dr. Ikyaan for a year of impactful service and progress!