The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the condition of boarding facilities in public secondary schools after a viral video revealed students at Presbyterian Senior Science College, Ididep (PSSSI), consuming substandard meals.

The Commissioner for Education, Idongesit Etiebet, announced the probe following an unscheduled visit to the school. In the viral footage, an alumnus described the meals as “despicable,” alleging students were served “useless tea and bread for breakfast, unpalatable lunches, and rice mixed with sand for dinner.” The video sparked widespread outrage and calls for urgent intervention.

As an immediate response, Etiebet suspended the school’s principal, Dr. Nse Sunday Umoh, and ordered a state-wide review of facilities in all 26 public boarding schools. The investigation, jointly led by the Ministry of Education and the State Secondary Education Board, will assess hostels, dining halls, kitchens, and sanitation standards. The commissioner reiterated the government’s commitment to student welfare, stating that negligence would not be tolerated.