By Patricia Ogbeche
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The Cross River State Government has sustained its commitment to improving the quality of education with the shutdown of more illegal schools across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The ongoing enforcement exercise, led by the State Ministry of Education, is part of the government’s broader education reform agenda aimed at sanitising the sector and ensuring that only duly approved schools operate within the state.
Speaking on the exercise, the Commissioner for Education, Senator Professor Stephen Odey, Esq, said the action aligns with the Ministry’s directive to clamp down on schools operating without the mandatory Approval to Operate (ATO).
According to him, the initiative is designed to safeguard the academic future of pupils and students, noting that many unapproved schools fail to meet the minimum standards required for effective teaching and learning.
Professor Odey disclosed that over one hundred and fifty-six (156)
Illegal schools were shut down across the state in 2025, adding that the exercise would continue this year to ensure full compliance with government regulations.
“The sanitisation of illegal schools is for the betterment of our children. Every school proprietor must do the right thing by obtaining the Approval to Operate (ATO). Any proprietor who reopens a closed school without authorisation will be duly penalised,” the Commissioner warned.
As part of the ongoing exercise, Peculiar International Nursery and Primary School, Efut Uwanse Layout, Calabar South, was shut down for operating illegally.
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The Commissioner reaffirmed the Cross River State Government’s unwavering commitment to restoring quality education and ensuring that all schools in the state meet approved standards, in line with the administration’s vision of providing a sound and competitive educational system for all.
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