20th May, 2011
The Cross River State Government has ordered the immediate closure of eleven private tertiary institutions operating in the state.
The government’s directive which was contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Mr Michael Egbudu, said the affected schools had failed to comply with registration formalities as well as quality control.
The statement reads in part: “the state Ministry of Education has observed with dismay the recalcitrant attitude of illegal operators of tertiary institutions across the state who have blatantly refused to comply with government directive to close down their activities. The attitude of these illegal tertiary institution operators and their persistent activities are not only embarrassing to the government, but detrimental to the educational development of the state.’’
The schools whose closure was endorsed by the Commissioner for Education, Professor Offiong E. Offiong, include Logos Christian College and Graduate School USA Nigeria, Wolex Polytecnic c/o Eastern Secondary Commercial School Ediba, Lagos Aviation / Maritime Business School (LAMBS), and African Thinkers Corner College of Education, Abini.
Others are African Thinkers College of Education Ikom, School of Basic Studies Awi, Certificate Institution of Shipping Ogoja, School of Economics Obudu, Flight Marine Academy Obubura, Urban University Ugep, and All Over Polytechnic, Ukwel, Obudu.
Reacting to the closure of the institutions, a proprietor of one of them and President/Chairman, Board of the Governing Council of Wolex Polytechnic, Lagos, Engr Wole Adepoju, denied that the school was illegal.
He said Wolex Polytechnic was fully and duly registered with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Engineer Adepoju told P.M.NEWS through the Proprietor of ACCET Polytechnic Calabar, an affiliate of Wolex Polytechnic, Lagos, Prince (Dr.) Idorenyin Etokobong, that the school was duly registered with the Federal Government of Nigeria under Decree 9 of 1999 and wondered why the Ministry of Education would take such a hasty decision without proper investigations.
Etokobong further said: “I entered into and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wolex Polytechnic, Lagos, an approved private tertiary institution established in accordance with Decree 9 of 1999 and accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for moderations and issuance of certificates.â€
According to him, ACCET Polytechnic has over 40 qualified lecturers most of whom are Ph.D holders, a vast space and facilities in line with NBTE standards, adding that currently the school was making efforts to secure N100 million loan from a bank to put in place necessary facilities for its expansion.
”We have made arrangement to acquire over 50 acres of land at Ikot Effanga and we are close to obtaining a bank guarantee of N100 million.We are awaiting the bank’s approval,’’ said Etokobong.
He called on the state government to accord every Nigerian child access to education in line with the policy ideals of the United Nations, adding that quality should not be compromised.
—Emma Una/ Calabar