Cross River Initiates Reforms To Strengthen Education Sector

The Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Prof Stephen Odey, yesterday announced reforms to the operation of private and public schools saying that the reforms are aimed at strengthening the state’s education sector.

The reforms were unveiled during a meeting with proprietors of private schools at the West African People’s Institute (WAPI) in Calabar.

The commissioner warned that schools operating without proper registration, including a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate, risked being closed, urging operators of schools to comply with the official school calendar or be ready to face sanctions

He said that student results and certificates have been digitised to curb fraud, adding that the introduction of the Student Index Number (SIN) system would henceforth be used in tracking pupils and students from Primary 1 and JSS 1 through their schooling.

On teachers’ qualifications, the commissioner stated that only those who acquire NCE would be allowed to teach junior secondary school classes while degree holders are the ones who will teach students in the senior secondary classes.

Odey advocated mandatory annual teachers’ training at the Teachers’ Continuous Training Institute, Biase local government area of the state.

He called for compulsory establishment of school clubs, including Anti-Drug, Anti-Bullying, Young Farmers and JET Clubs, as a way of boosting extracurricular activities in schools and called for strict protocols for excursions, requiring notification of zonal offices for safety accountability.

He said that the investment made by the state governor in the remodelled State Library Complex and the new University of Education and Entrepreneurship in Akamkpa is aimed at blending academic learning with practical skills.

Odey maintained that the reforms include binding policies, which take effect as the 2025/2026 academic year begins on September 15, stressing that the directives are enforceable policies and not mere discussions.