The conduct of the common entrance examination across primary schools in Abia State was today (Wednesday, March 18, 2026) affected by delays in the arrival of supervisors and examination materials, despite a high turnout of pupils.
At Ebere Community Primary School, the Headmistress, Chidindu Peculiar, disclosed that pupils were ready for the examination early in the morning, but the assigned supervisor arrived late, causing a delay in the commencement of the exercise.
A similar situation was observed at Ogbor Hill Primary School (II), where a total of 106 pupils were registered to sit for the examination. The Headmistress, Mrs. Sabin Onwuka, said as of 12 noon, supervisors had yet to arrive, attributing the delay to the cumbersome process of collecting examination papers.
According to her, officials had to travel to Umuahia to obtain the materials before distributing them to schools, a process she described as stressful and inefficient. She called on the government to urgently review the system to prevent future occurrences.
Despite the initial setbacks, pupils at Ehere Community Primary School were eventually able to sit for the examination, with a total of 145 candidates participating.
Monitoring the exercise across the state, a supervisor, Mrs. Patience Oji, noted a significant increase in the number of pupils sitting for the common entrance examination, attributing the rise to ongoing improvements in the state’s education sector.
A parent, Mrs. Chiamaka, who accompanied her son to the examination centre, expressed satisfaction with the reforms in the education system. She commended Governor Alex Chioma Otti for his commitment to improving educational standards and creating a more conducive learning environment.
Providing an update later in the day, Mrs. Onwuka confirmed that examination papers eventually arrived at Ogbor Hill Primary School, explaining that the delay was due to the early arrival of pupils and parents. She, however, reiterated that there has been a noticeable improvement in the education sector, reflected in the growing number of candidates participating in the examination.
The exercise, though challenged by logistical delays, recorded increased participation, highlighting renewed interest in basic education across the state.
