Many children forced out of school as government shuts down 69 private schools
Hundreds of pupils in Cross River State have been left stranded following the closure of 69 private primary and secondary schools by the state government over alleged non-compliance with operational guidelines.
The affected schools were sealed between October 20 and 21, 2025, during an enforcement exercise led by the Commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Odey, under the state’s new Education Reform Policy.
Officials said the move was aimed at sanitising the education sector and ensuring only duly approved institutions operate within the state.
However, parents and school proprietors have criticised the decision, warning that it could disrupt the learning of thousands of children midway through the academic term.
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Mrs. Maria Umoh, a parent whose four children attend one of the affected schools, lamented: “Our children will stay at home while their mates elsewhere continue learning. It’s painful and unfair.”
Some school owners told The Guardian they were in the process of upgrading their facilities to meet the new standards when task force teams unexpectedly sealed their premises. They appealed for a grace period to complete compliance.
The Education Reform Policy, introduced earlier this month, aims to standardise operations across public and private schools. It mandates a uniform academic calendar, ministry-approved textbooks, a ban on merging workbooks with textbooks, and restrictions on graduation ceremonies to exit classes. It also sets closing times of 1:00 p.m. for primary schools and 2:00 p.m. for secondary schools.
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To implement the reforms, the government created two task forces — one to shut illegal schools and another to monitor compliance across local councils.
Education stakeholders, however, fear that without transitional support or alternative placements for displaced pupils, the policy could worsen inequalities in access to education.
Across Calabar radio programmes, callers have urged the government to reconsider its approach, calling for a balance between enforcing standards and safeguarding the welfare of affected pupils.
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