Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A coalition of activists in Imo State has demanded the immediate cancellation of the 2026 Common Entrance and Primary Six First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) examinations, citing what they described as a "reckless" scheduling decision, severe logistical failures, and unconscionable conditions that forced young pupils to write their papers in darkness as late as 8 p.m. The group, SAVE IMO, led by convener Ebubeagu Ekenulo, made the call in an open letter addressed to the State Commissioner for Education on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, accusing the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of mishandling the critical examinations held on July 17.
The activists argued that the decision to schedule both the FSLC and Common Entrance examinations on the same day was a fundamental error that placed pupils at an unfair disadvantage and demonstrated a "disregard for educational standards." The letter alleged that "scheduling both high-stakes examinations for the same day was a reckless decision. Many pupils sat for both. It set them up to fail before they entered the hall. This was not an error. It was a disregard for educational standards".
The group detailed harrowing accounts of the examination day, revealing that pupils at several centres across the state were forced to write their papers in near-complete darkness after hours of delays. Some children reportedly relied on torchlights, candles, and even car headlights provided by desperate parents to see their question papers. According to SAVE IMO, some centres were still conducting the examinations as late as 8 p.m., prompting worried parents to storm schools over safety concerns for their children and the integrity of the exercise.
"The children had left home early in the morning under a heavy downpour to meet up with the examinations scheduled for 9 am, but the rain delayed the arrival of the materials to the different centres," an eyewitness report confirmed. Across various schools, including Shell Camp Primary School, Kingdom Heritage Model School, World Bank Primary School, and Barclays International School, dozens of parents remained in their cars, shops, and makeshift shelters, waiting for hours as the examinations dragged on.
One parent, Chukwudi, expressed his outrage on social media, stating, "Whoever is in charge of Common Entrance Examination and First Leaving School Certificate Examination in Imo State, whether the Commissioner for Education or whoever, should be sacked. They are incompetent and unorganised. Pupils still taking local exams till 6:30pm. Shame on the organisers". Another parent, Chinwe, wrote, "Imo State educational system is zero. 8pm, children that left their homes before 8am amidst the heavy rain are still out in the cold writing FSLC exam that was scheduled to hold before now (The exam was moved twice)".
The activists further alleged that some schools received grossly inadequate question papers, forcing some pupils to complete the examination on another day using the same question papers administered previously. This 24-hour gap, the group argued, created a significant opportunity for examination malpractice, leakage, and compromised examination ethics. "In any credible examination body, the act alone warrants automatic cancellation," Ekenulo asserted.
The group urged the Education Commissioner to order the immediate nullification of the examinations and conduct fresh examinations within 30 days under proper supervision, adequate logistics, and humane conditions. "Imo children are not an afterthought. Education is not where we cut corners to save money. Failure of the examination process should be addressed," the letter concluded.
In response to the public outcry, the Imo State Government, through the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Prof. Bernard-Thompson Ikegwuoha, issued a statement on July 18, 2026, apologising for the disruption and anxiety caused. The ministry attributed the lateness to a supervisory lapse in some centres in Owerri West, Owerri Municipal, and Owerri North, where supervisors delivered Paper 2 question papers late to the halls. The commissioner also attributed part of the lapse to his absence due to an "emergency medical trip overseas".
The ministry announced that an investigative panel would be set up to determine what went wrong and to sanction those found culpable in line with Public Service Rules. "Heads will certainly roll for these lapses. We will not tolerate any act that jeopardises the future of our children," Prof. Ikegwuoha stated. Despite the delays, the ministry maintained that the examinations were eventually concluded in all centres.
The controversy has reignited concerns over the state of primary education in Imo, where parents and activists have repeatedly decried poor planning and a lack of accountability in the examination system. For the thousands of pupils who endured a gruelling day of delays, rain, and darkness, the question remains whether the government's promise of an investigation will translate into meaningful change—or whether the 2026 examinations will stand as a painful indictment of a system that failed its youngest and most vulnerable citizens.
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