Cross River Shuts 36 Illegal Schools Over Lack of Approval

The Cross River State Government has sealed 36 unapproved schools found operating illegally across three local government areas.

The action, led by the state’s Ministry of Education, is part of a wider campaign to restore standards in the education sector.

Commissioner for Education, Prof. Stephen Odey, confirmed the closures in Calabar on Tuesday, October 21, describing the trend as “unfortunate and exploitative.”

He said the affected schools—ranging from nursery to secondary level—were discovered to be running without registration or approval from the ministry.

Odey explained that the shutdowns followed an extensive inspection carried out by the state’s Task Force on Illegal Schools, inaugurated earlier this month.

The task force, he said, began full-scale enforcement across Calabar, Ikom, and Ogoja educational zones to identify unlicensed institutions.

“We have begun full-scale enforcement across the three educational zones to sanitise the system and ensure that only schools meeting required standards are allowed to operate,” he said.

According to him, 16 schools were closed in Calabar, 10 in Ikom, and another 10 in Ogoja, following evidence of serious non-compliance with education regulations. He warned that the ministry would not tolerate “mushroom schools” that compromise quality or mislead parents.

Parents Urged to Verify Schools’ Approval Status

The commissioner reaffirmed Governor Bassey Otu’s commitment to quality education, stressing that only duly accredited schools will continue to operate.

“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,” he said.

Odey also appealed to parents to verify the approval status of schools before enrolling their children.

“We are appealing to parents to play their part by ensuring that their children are enrolled only in approved schools,” he said. “This will help sustain the government’s effort to provide quality education for all.”

The ministry said the enforcement would soon extend to all 18 local government areas.

This is due to a wave of complaints from education stakeholders about the proliferation of unregistered private schools, many of which reportedly lack qualified teachers, proper facilities, or adherence to the national curriculum.

Officials said the government will continue working with security agencies, local education authorities, and legitimate school owners to sustain the clampdown and prosecute offenders where necessary.