CALABAR, Cross River — The Cross River State Government has shut down 20 schools operating without the required Approval to Operate (ATO) in four local government areas as it intensifies efforts to enforce education regulations across the state.
The enforcement exercise affected schools in Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani and Akamkpa local government areas, according to a report published by the Cross River State Government on October 10, 2026.
The operation was carried out by the Department of Quality Assurance in the state Ministry of Education as part of efforts to ensure that schools meet the government’s requirements before operating.
The latest closures form part of a wider campaign to address the operation of unapproved educational institutions and improve compliance with established standards for teaching and learning.
Government Intensifies Education Sector Enforcement
The state government said the exercise was intended to ensure that schools operate within the law and provide pupils and students with properly authorised and monitored learning environments.
The Department of Quality Assurance is leading the enforcement activities under the Ministry of Education.
The government has maintained that school operators must obtain the necessary approval before admitting pupils and providing educational services.
The latest action also follows other enforcement exercises reported across the state in recent days, indicating that the authorities are continuing their efforts to identify and shut down schools operating without the required authorisation.
Commissioner Warns Against Reopening Sealed Schools
The Commissioner for Education, Senator Professor Stephen Odey, warned that schools shut down for operating without the required approval must not reopen without official authorisation from the appropriate government authorities.
The warning is intended to ensure that affected operators comply with the state’s regulations before resuming academic activities.
School proprietors are expected to meet the applicable requirements for operating educational institutions and obtain the necessary approval from the relevant authorities.
The government has presented the enforcement campaign as part of its broader effort to strengthen oversight of the education sector and ensure that schools comply with established operating standards.
Parents Urged To Check School Approval Status
The closures highlight the importance of verifying a school’s approval status before enrolling children.
Parents and guardians can contact the relevant state education authorities to confirm whether an institution has the required authorisation to operate.
Operating approval is an important regulatory requirement, although the closure announcement alone does not establish that every affected school has the same deficiencies in its facilities, teaching personnel or other operational arrangements.
The government has not, in the report announcing the latest closures, provided a complete list of the 20 affected schools or detailed the individual compliance issues identified at each institution.
The enforcement exercise is expected to continue as the state government pursues its stated objective of ensuring that educational institutions operate within approved regulatory standards.
Affected schools must obtain the required official authorisation before reopening, in line with the directive announced by the Commissioner for Education.
