Stakeholders rub minds at maiden Education Summit in Uyo

As the ongoing exercise to sanitize the education system continues, the state government says it will live no stone unturned in the closure of more illegal schools to give the sector a new face.

Already, the Ministry of Education has clamped down on one hundred and twelve of such schools across the state.

Commissioner for Education, Professor Nse Essien, who gave a breakdown of the figure, said twenty eight illegal schools were closed in Uyo Senatorial District, forty in lkot Ekpene Senatorial District and forty four in Eket Senatorial District.

Addressing some proprietors of schools in Nsit Atai local government area, the Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Helen Ante, decried the state of some illegal schools in the area, which he said were operated in dilapidated buildings, with no recreational space for the pupils.

Professor Essien said the government will monitor all the illegal schools already shut down by the Ministry upon resumption of a new academic session in a couple of weeks, warning that owners of such schools found to be re-opened will be prosecuted.

The commissioner advised the school owners who are affected by the exercise to obtain forms from the Ministry of Education to regularize the status of their schools before readmitting pupils and students for this new academic session.