2,200 Ogun pupils sit secondary entrance exam

No fewer than 2,200 Primary Six pupils from more than 100 private schools across the Mowe and Obafemi Owode Unit of Ogun State on Saturday sat the Unified Private Primary School Certificate Examination.

The examination, organised by the Mowe and Obafemi Owode Unit of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, was conducted simultaneously at nine centres across the area.

Speaking during the exercise, the Chairman of NAPPS in Obafemi Owode Local Government, Folorunso Famiwo, described the examination as an annual assessment aimed at evaluating pupils’ academic readiness before they progress to secondary school.

“It is a way of testing the competence and ability of learners and also measuring the performance of teachers to ensure they are implementing the curriculum effectively. We cannot just move students from primary to secondary school without a qualifying examination,” Famiwo said.

He added that exposing pupils to external examinations at the primary level helps build their confidence and prepares them for future public examinations.

The Chairperson of the Examination Committee, Pamela Somorin, said about 302 candidates wrote the examination at her centre, while the remaining candidates were spread across the other eight centres.

According to her, the examination provides pupils with an opportunity to experience external assessments before gaining admission into secondary school.

“It is a test of what we have taught the children. Many of them have never written an examination outside their schools before now. This gives them confidence and prepares them for what lies ahead in secondary school,” she said.

The examination coordinator, Abdulwahid Giwa, attributed the smooth conduct of the exercise to the cooperation of participating schools, parents and examination officials.

Although the National Policy on Education provides for automatic transition from primary to junior secondary school, Giwa maintained that external examinations remain necessary because they provide an objective assessment of pupils’ academic preparedness.

“When children write external examinations alongside pupils from other schools, it gives a better assessment of their performance than relying solely on internal examinations. It also prepares them for future public examinations,” he added.

An administrator at Lux Academy High School, Mrs Elizabeth Adejuwon, urged parents who considered the examination unnecessary to allow their children to participate, noting that it exposes them to healthy competition and prepares them for future academic challenges.

“This is a good examination for children at this level. When they compete with pupils from other schools, they become familiar with external examinations, making future public examinations easier for them,” she said.

A teacher at Royal Peer Academy College, Oluwatobiloba Adesanwo, said pupils had undergone intensive morning and after-school lessons for more than six months ahead of the examination.

“We don’t just teach them to pass examinations. We also teach them to become better human beings. We believe they are well prepared academically and mentally for the next stage of their education,” he said.

A parent, Fayewa Adebisi, urged parents to take an active interest in their children’s education, saying their involvement helps build confidence and reduces examination anxiety.

Another parent, Mrs Ajayi, described the exercise as orderly and well coordinated.

“The examination is going on well. The teachers, the children and the organisers have all been well coordinated. Education is not a scam, and no child should skip any stage of learning,” she said.

Two candidates, Michael Divine of Domina Life School and Kuteyi Emmanuel of Super Triple J School, expressed optimism about their performance, saying they expected good results.

The Centre Supervisor, Mrs Udeme Faith, said 263 candidates from 10 schools wrote the examination at her centre under the supervision of five invigilators.

“It has been wonderful since we started. The parents, guardians and pupils have all been cooperative, and we have not recorded any crisis,” she said.

Famiwo expressed optimism that the candidates would perform well and reaffirmed NAPPS’ commitment to sustaining the annual examination to promote academic excellence and adequately prepare pupils for secondary education.