Abuja Schools Rush Exams Amid Parents’ Growing Fears Over Insecurity

Schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have hurriedly concluded their end-of-term examinations as rising insecurity fuels anxiety among parents, teachers, and administrators.

Over the past few weeks, several schools, both public and private have quietly revised their academic calendars, compressing examination schedules to allow children to go home earlier than planned.

What would typically span full weeks has been forced into a few intense days marked by tension and uncertainty, LEADERSHIP has gathered.

Across districts such as Garki, Lugbe and Kubwa, teachers confirmed that examinations were fast-tracked in response to what many described as a climate of fear heightened by recent security incidents in neighbouring states.

Parents, increasingly alarmed by reports of kidnappings and attacks, have been pressing schools to shorten the term and release children ahead of time.

Teachers who spoke in an interview with LEADERSHIP said the pressure to conclude examinations and close the term early swiftly created a tense but manageable environment over fear of the unknown.

Many had to administer multiple papers within short intervals, sometimes on the same day, to meet the adjusted deadlines.

Lessons that had been carefully planned for assessments were condensed, raising concerns among education stakeholders about the impact on learning outcomes.

However, most stakeholders concede that safety remains the priority, arguing that academic quality, can be revisited lives cannot be replaced.

The situation was further complicated on 7 December 2025, when a memo began circulating on social media claiming that several schools in Abuja, public and private, had been ordered to shut down immediately for “non-compliance” with unspecified directives.

The memo, which spread rapidly among parents’ WhatsApp groups, intensified panic as many rushed to pick up their children even before schools issued official communication.

By evening, the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and other relevant agencies released clarifications, but these only added to the confusion.

While some officials insisted that no blanket order for immediate closure had been issued, others suggested that a few schools violating operational guidelines had indeed been instructed to shut their doors temporarily.

The conflicting statements frustrated parents, many of whom criticised authorities for fueling fear through poor communication.

This heightened tension comes barely a month after the widely reported abduction of schoolchildren from St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State.

In what has been described as one of the largest school kidnappings in recent Nigerian history, dozens of pupils and some teachers were taken by armed men, drawing global condemnation and renewed questions about the country’s security architecture.

Although security agencies recently rescued 100 of the abducted children, bringing relief to many families, the situation remains dire as dozens of other children and educators are still believed to be in captivity.

The partial release has done little to calm the nerves of parents in the FCT, who fear that similar incidents could be replicated closer to home. For many, the Papiri incident is a grim reminder of the vulnerability of school communities in the face of rising banditry and violent crime.

Compounding the concerns is the prolonged closure of about 41 Federal Unity Colleges across the country. These schools, initially shut for security reasons, have yet to reopen, disrupting their academic calendar and causing parents to question why the government has not hastened efforts to restore safe learning conditions.

The extended closure has widened the academic gap between Unity Colleges and other institutions that are still struggling to complete their terms, albeit under pressure.

Speaking on the situation, an Abuja-based private school teacher, Mr Isaac Moji, said his school completed examinations the previous week and is preparing to vacate earlier than scheduled.

“Our school finished examinations last week, and we are due to go on vacation this week. Although nothing has been officially communicated, most of the schools in the FCT are rushing to close because of fear of the unknown,” he said.

Mr Moji, who is also a parent, noted that the school his children attend in Nyanya had already closed earlier than expected.

“In Nyanya where my children are schooling, they vacated since last week. Many parents are uncomfortable, and schools don’t want to take chances. We just hope the government restores confidence before schools resume in 2026.”