The Cross River State Government has ordered the closure of 36 unapproved primary and secondary schools operating without registration or official authorization across three local government areas of the state.
Confirming the development on Tuesday in Calabar, the Commissioner for Education, Professor Stephen Odey, described the situation as regrettable, noting that some individuals have been deceiving unsuspecting parents by running illegal schools.
He explained that the shutdown was carried out by the state’s task force on illegal schools, inaugurated earlier this month, and cautioned that the ministry would no longer tolerate any unauthorized or substandard educational institutions in the state.
“We have begun full-scale enforcement across the three educational zones in Calabar, Ikom, and Ogoja to sanitise the system and ensure that only schools meeting the required standards are allowed to operate,” Odey said.
The ministry’s publication listed 16 affected schools in Calabar, 10 in Ikom, and another 10 in Ogoja, all found to be running without government approval.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to quality education, Odey stressed that only duly registered and accredited schools would be permitted to function.
He further advised parents and guardians to verify the approval status of schools before enrolling their children, warning that the enforcement exercise would be extended to all 18 local government areas in the state.
“This exercise will continue until every illegal school is either regularised or shut down. We are determined to protect the integrity of education in Cross River State,” Odey stated.