The Cross River State Government has outlawed the use of textbooks embedded with workbooks in all public and private schools as part of a broader set of education reforms aimed at standardizing practices, reducing costs for parents, and enhancing student welfare.
The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Odey, during a press briefing in Calabar on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Approved by Governor Bassey Otu, the reforms mandate that only Ministry of Education-approved textbooks be used in schools. Publishers are now prohibited from embedding workbooks that prevent textbooks from being reusable, promoting cost savings and uniformity.
Additionally, a uniform academic calendar has been introduced for all schools, requiring synchronized opening and closing times, with non-compliant schools facing sanctions such as derecognition or loss of approval-to-operate (ATO).
To ease financial burdens on parents, the government has banned graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and non-exit classes, limiting such events to Primary 6, JSS3, and SS3. Schools are also required to end classes by 1:00 p.m. for primary students and 2:00 p.m. for secondary students, with compulsory after-school lessons prohibited to reduce mental and physical stress on students.
Extra lessons are now optional and require parental consent, with the Ministry absolving itself of responsibility for issues outside the approved schedule.
To address rising concerns about drug use and bullying, all schools must establish Anti-Drug Clubs to monitor and report incidents and raise awareness in collaboration with authorities.
Similarly, Anti-Bullying Committees are now mandatory, with students caught bullying facing immediate expulsion to foster a safer learning environment.
Starting in the 2025/2026 academic session, every student from Kindergarten to SS3 will be assigned a unique index number to enhance data accuracy, prevent fraudulent transfers, and streamline admissions.
The distribution of these numbers will commence in early 2026 upon completion of admission documentation.Commissioner Odey emphasized that the reforms take effect immediately, urging school administrators to comply or face penalties.
He thanked Governor Otu for supporting the initiatives, describing them as “a transformative step toward delivering holistic, quality education for all children in Cross River State.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com