Activists in Imo have called for the immediate cancellation of the 2026 Common Entrance and Primary Six First School Leaving Certificate, FSLC, examinations in the state, following what they termed poor planning, inadequate logistics coupled with unconducive conditions that subjected pupils to severe hardship.

In an open letter addressed to the State Commissioner for Education, the SAVE IMO group, led by Ebubeagu Ekenulo, accused the ministry of mishandling the examinations held on July 17.

The group pointed out that the decision to schedule both examinations on the same day was evidence of poor planning which placed pupils who sat for both exams at a disadvantage.

“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 letter alleged.

The group also alleged that pupils at several examination centres were forced to write their papers in darkness after hours of delays, with some reportedly relying on torchlights, candles and car headlights provided by their parents.

According to SAVE IMO, some centres were still conducting the examinations as late as 8pm, prompting worried parents to visit schools over concerns about the safety of their children and the integrity of the exercise.

“Parents stormed schools fearing for the lives of their children and even malpractice. Others became invigilators with flashlights. Is this the standard we now accept for Imo children?

It 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 the previously.

The group added that the alleged 24-hour gap created an opportunity for examination malpractice, leakage and compromised examination ethics.

Mr Ekenulo asserted that in any credible examination body, the act alone warrants automatic cancellation.

The group through the letter urged the Education Commissioner to order the immediate nullification of the examinations and conduct fresh examinations within 30 days, under what it described as proper supervision, adequate logistics and humane conditions are put in place.

“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.