The Imo State Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MOPSE) has released a comprehensive directive outlining new policies and regulations guiding examination registration and school admissions across the state.
In a public notice dated March 29, 2026, the Ministry emphasized that beginning from the 2026/2027 academic session, only candidates with valid Imo State Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results will be eligible for admission into Senior Secondary School One (SSS1) in both public and private institutions. The directive clearly states that no school, regardless of status, will be exempt from compliance.
The Ministry clarified that while NECO BECE remains an optional examination, it will no longer be recognized as a requirement for admission into SSS1 within the state. Parents, however, retain the sole authority to decide whether their children should sit for either or both examinations, as school proprietors are barred from making such decisions on their behalf.
In a firm warning to private institutions, the Ministry stated that any school found admitting students into SSS1 without the required Imo BECE results risks immediate withdrawal of its operational license.
Similarly, all admissions into Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) must strictly be based on the Imo State Common Entrance Examination results, alongside official placement cards issued by the Examinations Development Center (EDC). Private primary schools have also been directed to ensure compulsory registration of their pupils for the Common Entrance Examination, with non-compliance attracting sanctions, including revocation of licenses.
The Ministry further disclosed that private secondary schools admitting students without valid Common Entrance results or placement documentation will face immediate closure.
In a move toward modernization, MOPSE announced ongoing efforts to digitize examination records, revealing that results for BECE and UBEAT from 2020 to 2025 will soon be accessible online via the Ministry’s official portal. This initiative is expected to streamline access to academic records and certificate verification.
On examination registration, the Ministry confirmed that all payments are now conducted digitally through its official platform. It also fixed the approved NECO registration fee for private schools at forty thousand naira, warning that any school found charging above the stipulated amount will face strict penalties, including loss of operating license.
Additionally, plans have been unveiled for the re-accreditation of all secondary schools in the state starting from September 2026. The exercise, which will apply to both public and private institutions, will attract a fee of one hundred thousand naira per school, to be renewed every five years.
The Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining standards, enhancing transparency, and ensuring compliance across the education sector, urging all stakeholders to adhere strictly to the new directives
