Calabar, April 2, 2024: The Cross River Commissioner for Education, Senator Stephen Odey PhD, has vehemently dismissed allegations of padding the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) registration list for indigenous students, clarifying that a typographical error led to the inclusion of some names twice.
During a press briefing held on Tuesday in Calabar, the State capital, Dr. Odey addressed the issue, assuring the public that necessary corrections had been made to rectify the error. He revealed that the initial list of 16,301 names had been reduced to 16,287 after the removal of duplicated entries.
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The Commissioner reiterated the commitment of the Cross River state Government towards facilitating educational opportunities for indigenous students. He reminded the public of the government’s announcement earlier that all indigenous students enrolling for WAEC this year would have their fees covered by the state, with desk officers set up across the three Senatorial districts to compile the list.
Dr. Odey disclosed that despite the efforts of the government, approximately 20 schools failed to submit their students’ details on time, resulting in their exclusion from the final list. This exclusion affected over 1,000 students who missed out on registration due to their principals’ delayed submissions.
Regarding financial commitments, Dr. Odey revealed that the state government was investing approximately 450 million naira to cover WAEC registration fees for indigenous students.
He emphasized that the allegations of padding were unfounded and stemmed from a typographical error during compilation. The Commissioner assured the public of the government’s dedication to addressing educational issues, including the regulation of schools to prevent the proliferation of unregistered institutions. He warned of consequences for schools unable to meet the necessary standards.
In a bid to improve the quality of education in the state, Dr. Odey disclosed that the government had requested the employment of 6,000 teachers to bolster the educational system.
Furthermore, the Commissioner addressed disciplinary actions against principals involved in illicit activities. Out of the 36 principals indicted for various forms of corruption, only six were exonerated, while the remaining 31 will face disciplinary measures, including suspension and possible removal from their positions.
In concluding his briefing, Dr. Odey reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring quality education for all students in Cross River State and urged stakeholders to collaborate in achieving this goal.
