Cross River State accords prime position to education and considers it pivotal for sustainable development, job creation and eradication of poverty. The Education Summit held in 2000 gave rise to a policy, which provides direction for the development of primary, secondary and technical and science education. Consideration has also been given to other forms of acquiring knowledge that may not fit into traditional classroom settings. These include adult and non-formal education as well as apprenticeship schemes with learning taking place in a parallel structure marked as appropriate to more traditional qualifications.

The Ministry of Education has the responsibility for formulating policies of education and for providing leadership and strategic direction for development of education within the State. The Ministry seeks to meet the education needs of the people of Cross River State through

• 1021 Primary Schools
• 232 Secondary Schools
• 18 Technical Colleges
• 1 University
• 1 College of Education
• 3 Special Education Centres
• 240 Adult Literacy Centres
• 3 State Libraries

In addition to these are a number of literacy centers and centers for vocational learning, which are established based on the needs and requirements of specific communities. The Ministry also supports and monitors quality of education by providers through a system of accreditation and inspections.

The Ministry provides Library services through a central library located in Calabar and other libraries, strategically located in the districts for easy reach by rural communities. The opportunities provided to indigent students for financing tertiary education through the Scholarship Board are expected to increase access to tertiary and specialist education.