The Cross River State Government has announced sweeping reforms in the education sector, abolishing the use of textbooks with embedded workbooks in all public and private schools.
Commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Odey, disclosed the reforms during a press briefing in Calabar on Wednesday, noting that they form part of Governor Bassey Otu’s drive to standardize school operations, reduce costs for parents, and safeguard student welfare.
Under the new policy, only Ministry-approved textbooks will be permitted, while publishers are barred from embedding workbooks to ensure books remain transferable and reusable. A uniform academic calendar has also been introduced across all schools, with strict penalties for non-compliance, including derecognition and withdrawal of approval-to-operate.
The state further scrapped graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and non-exit classes, limiting them to Primary 6, JSS 3, and SS 3, to ease financial pressure on parents. Class hours are now capped at 1:00 p.m. for primary schools and 2:00 p.m. for secondary schools, with compulsory after-school lessons banned. Extra classes may only be held with parental consent.
To curb rising social vices, schools must establish anti-drug clubs and Anti-Bullying Committees. Any student caught bullying will face immediate expulsion, the Commissioner warned.
In addition, beginning with the 2025/2026 academic session, all pupils from kindergarten to SS3 will be assigned unique index numbers to improve data accuracy, curb fraudulent transfers, and streamline admissions. Distribution of the numbers will commence in early 2026.
Odey urged school proprietors and managers to comply fully with the new directives, stressing that sanctions await violators. He described the reforms as “a significant step toward holistic, quality education for all Cross River children.”
