By Frank Ulom
The National Association of Calabar South Students, University of Calabar Chapter (NACSS UCC), has declared its support for the 14-day ultimatum issued to Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Stephen Adi Odey, over the deteriorating condition of public secondary schools in Calabar South.
In a statement dated June 19, 2026, and signed by the association’s Executive President, Godswill Bassey, and Secretary General, Edet Magdalene, the students expressed solidarity with the Calabar South Community Indigenous Forum, describing its demands for accountability as justified.
The association said it was deeply concerned by what it described as the continued neglect of public secondary schools despite repeated assurances from the Ministry of Education that interventions were being carried out.
According to the statement, schools across Calabar South, particularly Pinn Margaret Secondary School, continue to suffer from leaking roofs, dilapidated classrooms, inadequate furniture, poor learning facilities and unsafe learning environments.
The students referenced a recent incident in which pupils and their learning materials were soaked by rainfall during school hours at Pinn Margaret Secondary School, describing it as evidence of the poor state of public education infrastructure.
NACSS UCC argued that the situation was more troubling because students had continued to pay school fees and other mandatory charges for about three years without corresponding improvements in school facilities.
The association questioned the management of education resources, noting that parents had continued to fulfil their financial obligations despite economic hardship while students remained exposed to unsafe classrooms and repeated disruptions to learning.
It also raised concerns over the Commissioner’s recently released scorecard, which reportedly outlined the utilisation of more than ₦17 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission intervention funds for classroom construction, rehabilitation, renovation and furniture procurement.
The students said there appeared to be a disconnect between the projects highlighted in the scorecard and the realities in many schools across Calabar South.
They asked why students were still learning under leaking roofs and in dilapidated classrooms if such significant resources had been deployed for educational development.
“The Commissioner’s own scorecard appears to paint a markedly different picture from the conditions visible in our schools, reflecting a disappointing and largely unproductive record that has failed to translate substantial public expenditure into meaningful improvements in the learning environment of students,” the statement said.
While commending the administration of Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, for development in other sectors, the association warned that the government’s achievements should not be undermined by what it described as negligence and inefficiency in the education sector.
NACSS UCC endorsed the 14-day ultimatum issued by the Calabar South Community Indigenous Forum on June 18, 2026, insisting that it was necessary to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds allocated to education.
The association called on the Commissioner for Education to use the period to provide satisfactory explanations and implement immediate rehabilitation of damaged school buildings, replacement of leaking roofs, provision of classroom furniture, renovation of classrooms, improved sanitary facilities and transparent monitoring of education projects.
It further warned that if no visible and verifiable action was taken before the expiration of the ultimatum on July 2, 2026, it would participate in all lawful and peaceful actions aimed at demanding accountability.
The students also said they reserved the right to support legal action over the continued collection of school fees and other compulsory charges despite what they described as the prolonged failure to provide safe and conducive learning environments.
According to the statement, the association would collaborate with civil society organisations and legal advocates where necessary to pursue accountability in the interest of protecting students’ educational rights.
NACSS UCC maintained that its position was not politically motivated but was intended to defend public education and safeguard the future of students in Calabar South.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Education during a press briefing with journalists at the Ministry of Education Headquarters in Calabar on Monday, June 15, 2026, disclosed that more ₦17 billion has been invested in basic education interventions, resulting in the construction of 149 new classrooms, rehabilitation of 50 classroom blocks, provision of 30 boreholes and procurement of 23,461 customised school furniture across the 18 local government areas between 2023 and 2025.
Odey stated this while outlining the achievements of Governor Otu’s administration in the education sector.
