Cross River Begins Crackdown On Illegal Schools

Cross River State Ministry of Education has taken steps to shut down illegal and unaccredited schools in the 18 local government areas.

The commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Odey, announced this yesterday, during an interactive session with LEADERSHIP Friday in Calabar.

Odey who marked two years in office, said the ministry had secured approval from the state executive council to shut down illegal schools, stressing that the initiative aims at ensuring that schools in the state function according to global best practice.

Odey emphasised dedication to sustaining reforms and driving innovation in the state’s education sector adding that  Cross River State saw a 72.1% score for candidates with 5 credits and above in English and Mathematics in the 2024 WAEC exams.

He said that the  ministry generated N220million between September 2023 and November 2024, surpassing the revenue target adding that the ministry collaborated with the National Senior Secondary Education Commission for teacher retraining.

“We remain dedicated to sustaining reforms, driving innovation, and ensuring that Cross River State continues to be a centre of academic excellence in Nigeria,” Odey stated.

Odey averred that it was in his quest  to sustain the reforms that the ministry in April this year hosted a one day interactive session with with council chairmen for 18 local government areas, Board members, of state Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) on the role of council chairmen in Basic Education.

He said that he has  facilitated registration of May/June WAEC candidates of Cross River State origin as approved by the Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu.

“Supply and furnishing of some offices in the Ministry of Education with tables, chairs, fans, computers & air conditioners and refurbishing of the Ministry’s 50KVA generating plant” he maintained was achieved in the last two years.

He  stressed that by dint of hard work, the ministry was able to  generate N220m between September, 2023 to November, 2024 into the coffer of the Cross River State Government  through the pay-direct system.

He said that the amount surpassed  N164m revenue target given to the Ministry for the 2024 financial year by the State Budget Office by N15,967,710.

“While N228,640,875.05 was generated from January to July, 2025 for 2025 fiscal year. Surpassing the Ministry revenue target of N144,840,800.00  by N83,800,087.05.

“We recovered over N20m being illegal collections from school principals.

” We collaborated with the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) for the retraining of 80  English and Mathematics teachers for states in South – South geo-political zone from November 10-15,  2024 at Danic and Kevs Hotel Calabar,” Odey stated.