Government Secondary school, Uwanse in Calabar South local government area is today wearing a new look.
The school had been dilapidated and abandoned for years until earlier this year when the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu visited the area. During his visit, Chiefs and Community leaders in the area requested immediate intervention.
The school was in dire disrepair, with a broken roof that left students and teachers drenched each time it rained. Rainy days, meant no school and no studies for the pupils.
Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, is known for its heavy rains, often experiencing days of continuous downpour. This left students stranded at home for weeks during prolonged rainfall.
In response to this pressing issue, the governor approved the rehabilitation of the school, assigning the task to the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA), which is responsible for restoring dilapidated structures in the state capital. The rehabilitation included extensive repairs to the roof, walls, flooring, and a complete makeover of the classrooms, including standard painting in the state colors.
Today, the school stands completely remodeled. The quality of the rehabilitation has left residents in awe of the beauty and serenity of the school.
During an inspection, the Executive Secretary of CUDA, Chief Effiong Ayi, stated that the governor, Sen. Bassey Otu, is committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people. He emphasized that the governor is particularly focused on addressing the immediate needs of the people while building an egalitarian subnational.
An excited and overjoyed youth leader, Mr. Edem Valentine, shared his thoughts: “This is very, very wonderful. The only secondary school that we have, which we had long forgotten, students left the school because it was uninhabitable. But today, something else has happened—today, government has come to our rescue. This is so beautiful, looking at the environment and the landscape. We thank the governor for this development; we are moved to tears—tears of joy—by what the governor has done for this school. We pray that God blesses him,” he said.
Academic activities have since resumed, with many more students happily learning in decent classrooms that meet international standards.
The governor’s dedication to education is reflected in the recently submitted 2025 appropriation bill, which allocates 81 billion to education, positioning it as the second-largest budgetary allocation. The Sen. Bassey Otu led administration seeks to strengthen the education sector and transform public schools into exemplary models that support learning, ultimately improving the state’s education ranking.
This rehabilitation will be extended to dilapidated government schools across the state to ensure a conducive learning environment for students.
These impactful developments are steps the administration is taking to rebuild our state across various sectors, restoring hope and gradually rebuilding the confidence of the people in Cross River State.
©Nate Otaba
