5 BEST SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CROSS RIVER STATE

This essay takes a look at the top 5 best secondary schools in Cross River State. These are the secondary schools that boast of world-class facilities, have the best records of achievement in curricular and extra-curricular activities, and have continued to demonstrate utmost commitment to providing the best secondary school education to students in Cross River State.

These 5 best secondary schools in Cross River State are:

Surefoot International School, or SIS is a co-educational, private Christian-boarding school located in the scenic and serene city of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

The existence of Surefoot is the manifestation of a vision, which became a reality due to the burning desire to provide an educational institution where children are raised in a Christ-centered, fun and technology-driven environment.

The mission of the school is to provide a programme of education for students that will equip them to meet the challenges that they will face as young adults in the 21^st century. For this, th core ethos that guide the operations of Surefoot International School are aachieving quality in teaching and learning, and respect the unique and intrinsic value of every child.

SIS caters for children from all nationalities. Their all-inclusive policy ensures that no child is left behind.

Classrooms of Surefoot International School are equipped with smart boards and audio aids to facilitate technology & audio-visual learning.

Surefoot International School, Calabar also encourage her students to get involved in school activities as much as possible. To this end, there are many clubs and societies to join in school, ranging from sporting activities, JETS, Dance, Music, Mathematics, French, Press/Public Speaking, Reading, Home Economics, Gymnastics, ICT/Photography/MVA, among others.

Surefoot International School, Calabar is committed to offering her students a holistic lifelong Education in a caring, Christian environment conducive to learning and personal development.

The secondary school known as St. Anne’s High School started in September, 2006 with fifteen students. The student population has however continued to grow since then. The number of new students coming in every year is between 100 – 130. The school has a population of 260 as at March, 2016.

The mission of St Anne’s High School is to offer pupils from the primary section of the group of schools and others, the desired continuity and a solid foundation at the junior secondary and senior secondary school levels.  

St. Anne’s High School aims at providing a learning environment in which the child relates intimately with the teacher, in an environment devoid of distraction thereby focusing the child’s mind on learning as well as useful extra-curricular activities.

St Anne’s High School are mindful of the fact that students bring with them a wealth of different strengths, experiences, interests and challenges. For this reason they give them every support they need in their regular class activities and through extra remedial support and interventions as required.

 The school’s teaching staff are well trained and experienced as over sixty percent of them have been in our employment for over ten years.

St Anne’s High School environment is serene and secure. The classrooms are standard sized; spacious and well ventilated.

At St. Anne’s High School, a culture of discipline, aimed at the totality of an individual’s well-being is maintained. For this, the school deserves a spot on the list of best secondary schools in Cross River State.   

The story of Hillcrest dates back to a mother’s cry for help. A daughter had died of a brain tumour and a son born prematurely and at two years diagnosed with autism. A tragedy! The family home called Hillcrest named after the man-made hill in front of it was opened to the public and mothers were invited to bring in their children with special needs alongside their normal brothers and sisters. The response was overwhelming.

The founder armed with the experience of raising six children, encouraged and respected for empathy shown to mother of children with special needs, in 1983 founded a school named Hillcrest Junior Special Needs following the same pattern of integrating special needs children alongside their normal peers.

October, 1998 saw the birth of the secondary arm of Hillcrest. In the year 2013, the secondary arm of Hillcrest renamed Hillcrest College Calabar moved to its permanent site.

Built majestically on a hill, similar to Hillcrest Junior two and a half decade before, Hillcrest College is happy to be at home at last and her service in education to the children of Cross River State and the World continues.

Prospective students of Hillcrest College must be at least 10 years at the time of admission.

Aside its rich history, Hillcrest College has nice boarding facilities. The school also boasts of two good laboratories. The Science Department oversees well equipped science laboratories ranging from Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture. Each of these Science laboratories are managed by a team of well qualified teachers and technicians, well trained to handle the apparatuses available.

Hillcrest College recognizes that not every student’s forte lies in academics, and thus encourages her students to join clubs and engage in sports. That way they will spread themselves and gradually find out where they excel.

The extracurricular programme is also designed to expose the students to the real world. There are a number of clubs set up by the schools to encourage students to make proper use of their leisure time.

Hillcrest College also hass well-maintained computer systems that are connected to the internet.

Marygold International School Calabar is a brand of Marygold School, Port Harcourt. It was established as an inspiration from the Director of Studies, Engr. Obi Weli when he saw the need for expansion.

Marygold International school was established on the 19th day of September, 2015 by renowned educationists and entrepreneurs, Engr and Mrs. Obi Weli. It is a co-educational day and boarding school located in a tranquil and spacious environment at no 14, Obame Ikoya Street, Calabar, Cross River State.

The pupils and students of Marygold International School are given all round education. They are well mannered, competitive, well-spoken in diction and grammar. They excel amongst their peers because of the solid foundation given to them, high standard of education supported with facilities; fully equipped science laboratories, libraries, computer laboratory, etc.

Her teachers are also qualified; they undergo series of tests to make sure they are qualified to teach at Marygold and they are given series of training upon recruitment and regularly in the course of each academic year.

Marygold International School believes that learning does not end in the classroom, and for this are involved in different extra-curricular activities, like the science week, French week, cultural and creative week, arts and skills week and lots more.

Sports is also encouraged in Marygold International School. The school have a standard basketball court, volleyball court, table tennis, etc. Mental games like Chess, scrabble, word search etc are also encouraged. Wednesday and Friday Mornings are set aside for these sports activities.

Federal Science College Ogoja is a unity school Ogoja, Cross River State, established with the key objective being ensuring national integration.
Federal Science College Ogoja is a co-educational day and boarding, basic and post basic institution owned by the Federal Ministry of Education. The College over the years has been in the forefront of academic excellence within the geographical region and across Nigeria as a whole.

An outstanding performance in various Educational, Social and Sporting activities cannot be farfetched. This is as a result of an enabling learning and sporting environment existing in the school, with the existence of modern features such as; a Standard library, School media/ICT laboratory, Multipurpose hall, Tuck shops, Standard Football pitch, Badminton, Volley ball court, and Lawn tennis facility.

A good and secured housing plan in form of dormitories/hostels is in place to accommodate the boarding students, under the supervision of caring and experienced house masters and mistresses. 

Federal Science College Ogoja boasts of facilities such as standard Classrooms, Biology  Laboratory, Chemistry  Laboratory, Physics  Laboratory, a well-stocked Library, a Computer  Laboratory, Male and  Female Hostel facilities, Dining Hall, Assembly Hall, a Health  Center and a Green Area.

Federal Science College Ogoja also has a Football  pitch, Volleyball court, Lawn Tennis court etc.

Candidates seeking for Admission into JS1 classes in Federal Science College Ogoja must have written the National Common Entrance Examination usually taken between March and April across the federation. The result of the examination is submitted to the Federal Ministry of Education for ratification, determination of cut-off mark and short listing of those who have scaled through.