Unity School Students Risk Missing Exams After FG’s Abrupt Reopening Directive

The Federal Government’s sudden order for the reopening of the 41 unity schools closed down recently due to insecurity has put many students at risk of missing their first-term examinations.

According to a letter obtained by THE WHISTLER directed to the parents by the school management of the one of the affected Unity Colleges in the FCT, the Federal Ministry of Education has directed schools to resume academic activities with immediate effect, with the first-term examinations proceeding as scheduled.

“This is to inform all parents that the Federal Ministry of Education has directed that the school should resume academic activities with immediate effect, following the temporary shutdown due to security concerns.

“We are pleased to announce that full academic activities will continue seamlessly, and students are expected to return to school on Sunday, 7th December 2025, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Strict security protocol will be enforced.

“ Kindly note that the First Term examinations will proceed as scheduled and will be concluded before the December break.

“We sincerely appreciate your patience, cooperation, and understanding throughout this period. Let us continue to work together to ensure the success and safety of our children,” the letter read.

However, some parents have expressed concerns that their children, who had travelled outside Abuja following the closure, will not be able to return for the examination due to security risks on the roads.

One parent whose child in in FGGC Bwari, Jane Okafor lamented, “When the government suddenly ordered the closedown of school, my thought was that the children will take their examination January because in the circular that ordered the closure, there was no specific time for their return.”

Another parent questioned the safety of the schools, pleading with the government to fortify the schools before calling the children back.

“The examination should have been shifted to January so that they will have time to ensure the schools are safe. There is no way I am bringing my child back until January,” the parent said.

The National President of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), BonyFace Odey in an interview with THE WHISTLER, disagreed with parents who are complaining about the sudden reopening, saying that the government closed the schools for the safety of the children and has now assured that security has been provided.

“So the government closed the schools for the safety of the children. If something had happened to those children at the same time, parents would come out and cry and protest. They don’t have any issue with the closing down of the school,” Odey said.

He added that parents should take responsibility for their children’s education and not use security as an excuse. “No child has reason to miss that exam. No child has reason. I closed the exam for security. I closed the school for security. Now, I’m telling you that I have provided security. Come back and say you did not come back. Who is to be blamed?”

Odey emphasised that unity schools are meant to provide quality education to students from different parts of the country, and that the curriculum and syllabus are standardized and should be followed through.

He blamed parents who had to register their children in Unity Schools outside their state of residence saying, “Don’t we have this same (unity)school in Enugu? Who took that child to that place? Is that the only school we have in Zamfara or Yobe or Borno. Why take the child all along from Enugu to Abuja? The same Chemistry subject taught in Enugu is the same in Borno. The same one in Owerri is the same in Sokoto. If you have the money or whatever you call it to take your child to anywhere, you have to bear the brunt, you have to bear the consequences,” he said.

When asked what will happen to students who are not able to make it for the examination, he stated that automatically, the student has failed the examination.