Cross River Shuts 20 Schools Operating Without Approval

The Cross River State Government has shut down 20 schools operating without the required approval in four local government areas, warning their proprietors against reopening without official authorisation.

The affected schools are located in Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani and Akamkpa Local Government Areas.

The Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey, announced the enforcement exercise on Friday, warning that proprietors who violated the closure order would face sanctions.

In a statement issued by the state Ministry of Information and Orientation on Saturday, the government said the exercise was carried out by the Department of Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education.

“The latest enforcement exercise, carried out by the Department of Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education, underscores the government’s determination to ensure that all schools operate within the law and provide children with properly authorised and monitored learning environments,” the statement read.

The government said the enforcement exercise would be extended to all 18 local government areas to ensure compliance with education standards.

In Calabar Municipality, the affected schools are Impact Group of Schools, Gospel Beacon Academy and Divvy Bliss Schools.

In Calabar South, the affected institutions are Warriors Seed Academy, Children of Promise Christian School, Future Amazing International Schools Limited, Glad Tidings Academy and Panorama International Schools.

The schools shut down in Odukpani are De-Royal Academy School, Maria Assumpta Nursery/Primary School, Success Kids Nursery/Primary School, Delightsome International School, Sparkling Academy, Goodness Academy and Joanleff Excellent Institute.

In Akamkpa, the affected schools are Creative Brain International School, St. Luck’s Anglican Nursery/Primary School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Hot Brain Academy and Armour Christian International School.

The ministry urged school proprietors to obtain the necessary approval before commencing operations, stressing that failure to comply with regulatory requirements would attract sanctions.

It added that monitoring and enforcement activities would continue across the state to ensure that schools operate in accordance with established standards.