He directed all private and mission schools to resume on Monday, September 14, 2026, and close in line with the approved academic calendar, warning against altering the official resumption and closing dates.
By Staff Reporter
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Published on September 10, 2026
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3 min read
Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Sen. Prof. Stephen A Odey, Esq., has directed proprietors of private and mission schools to strictly comply with approved government regulations as the 2026/2027 academic session begins.
Senator Odey gave the directive during a pre-resumption meeting with members of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and Mission Schools in the State, stressing that private schools, though privately owned, remain subject to the regulation of the Ministry of Education. He directed all private and mission schools to resume on Monday, September 14, 2026, and close in line with the approved academic calendar, warning against altering the official resumption and closing dates.
The Commissioner also reiterated that 2:00 p.m. is the approved closing time for all nursery, primary and secondary schools in the State, warning that schools that violate the directive would face sanctions, including withdrawal of approval and possible closure, He further urged proprietors to sensitise parents against late registration, moderate school fees and comply with the “no lesson, no lesson fee” policy.
Senator Odey charged schools to ensure prompt registration and compliance with the Student Identification Number (SIN) policy, noting that the initiative would strengthen student documentation, accountability, planning and curb fraudulent enrolment, He disclosed that the Ministry is reviewing textbooks in line with the revised curriculum and warned schools against using unapproved textbooks. He also informed the proprietors that the Ministry had obtained approved revised curricula from the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and urged private and mission schools to obtain and implement the curricula to ensure uniformity with public schools.
The Commissioner also called on proprietors to train and retrain their teachers, stressing that competent and well-trained teachers are essential to improving teaching and learning outcomes. He assured the stakeholders that the Ministry would continue to engage and support private schools while intensifying monitoring and enforcement to improve education standards across the State.
Speaking on behalf of the proprietors, Chairman of NAPPS, Pastor Abraham Osok, and Education Executive Secretary of the Catholic Schools Board, Ogoja Diocese, Rev. Fr. Justin Udie, commended Senator Professor Odey for his leadership and reform initiatives in the education sector.
They described the Commissioner as the right person to steer the Ministry at a time of significant reforms, noting that his clear communication and approach had made the reforms easier for stakeholders to understand and embrace. They reaffirmed their support for the Commissioner’s efforts to improve education outcomes across Cross River State.
