The Abia State Government has introduced a rule that stops students from moving to another school between Senior Secondary 2 (SS2) and Senior Secondary 3 (SS3).

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, announced the new rule on Tuesday, September 9, in Umuahia. The ban affects both public and private schools and is part of efforts to reduce cheating in exams.

Under the new policy, SS2 students must pass a state-run promotion exam to move to SS3. This step is designed to promote honesty and accountability in schools.

The government also shared other changes for school activities and costs. Graduation ceremonies will now be held only for Primary 6 and SS3 students to lower expenses for parents. Schools must also separate textbooks from workbooks so younger siblings can reuse them.

Additionally, students taking exams for higher education must show their basic education certificates, with schools limited to charging no more than ₦2,000 for Primary 6 certificates.

According to Ubochi, many certificates are often lost or not properly recorded. The new rules aim to ensure certificates are correctly managed while making education cheaper for families.

These reforms are part of Governor Alex Otti’s education plan. They address challenges such as poor funding, bad infrastructure, and widespread cheating in Abia State schools.

Other states like Anambra, Lagos, and Enugu have already set similar rules to stop students from moving to easier schools before important exams like the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) tests.

In 2023, the West African Examinations Council reported high levels of impersonation and cheating in Nigeria, especially in South-East states. Abia’s new rules are meant to bring back fairness and discipline in the state’s education system.