The Cross River government says it has shut down no fewer than 58 unapproved schools in Calabar South, Calabar Municipality, Odukpani and Yakurr Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Stephen Odey, disclosed this on Saturday in Calabar.

According to him, the ministry’s Department of Quality Assurance has intensified its crackdown on schools operating without Approval to Operate (ATO) across the state.

He noted that the exercise was part of the state’s ongoing efforts to sanitise the education sector, enforce compliance with established regulations and ensure acceptable standards for teaching and learning.

The commissioner further explained that the exercise was aimed at protecting learners and ensuring that schools operated in safe, conducive and properly regulated environments.

Mr Odey stressed that the government would not compromise the standards required for operating educational institutions in the state.

He explained that the exercise was not intended to witch-hunt school proprietors but rather to ensure that all schools met the prescribed minimum requirements for establishing and managing educational institutions.

He urged proprietors of unapproved schools to regularise their operations by obtaining the necessary approval, warning that any school sealed by the government and reopened without authorisation would face appropriate sanctions.

According to him, the enforcement exercise would continue across the state’s 18 LGAs until the objectives of the ongoing cleanup of the sector were achieved.

Mr Odey added that the exercise would be sustained across the state to strengthen quality assurance, protect learners and uphold the integrity of the education sector. 

(NAN)