CALABAR — The Cross River State Government has closed down 36 illegal schools operating without approval across three local government areas of the state.
In a statement posted on the Ministry of Education’s official website, the government said the affected schools — spanning primary and secondary levels — were found to be operating without proper registration or authorization.
Speaking in a phone interview on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Stephen Odey, described the situation as “unfortunate,” lamenting that some individuals were still exploiting unsuspecting parents by running unapproved schools.
He explained that the closure followed an operation carried out by the State Task Force on Illegal Schools, which was set up earlier this month. According to him, the ministry will no longer tolerate any unauthorized or “mushroom” educational institutions in the state.
“We have started full-scale enforcement across the three educational zones — Calabar, Ikom, and Ogoja — to clean up the system and ensure that only schools meeting government standards are allowed to operate,” Odey said.
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The ministry’s report revealed that 16 schools were shut down in Calabar, 10 in Ikom, and another 10 in Ogoja, all for failing to obtain the necessary approval from the government.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to maintaining quality education, Prof. Odey stressed that only schools that are duly registered and accredited will be allowed to function in the state.
He also advised parents and guardians to verify the approval status of schools before enrolling their children, warning that the enforcement drive will soon extend to all 18 local government areas in Cross River.
“This exercise will continue until every illegal school is either regularized or shut down,” Odey added. “We are committed to protecting the integrity of education in Cross River State.”
