By Brian Iha, June 10, 2026
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced a major restructuring of the national school calendar beginning in 2027 as part of a broad government strategy aimed at addressing the recent wave of student unrest, strikes, and arson incidents in secondary schools.
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Ogamba said the Ministry of Education, working with other government agencies, had identified academic pressure, mental health challenges, and institutional safety gaps as some of the key drivers behind the disturbances witnessed in schools across the country.
“We want to create a more balanced academic calendar that reduces fatigue and stress among learners and teachers while promoting a healthier learning environment,” Ogamba said.
Under the proposed reforms, the ministry will review the current term structure to ensure learning periods and holidays are distributed more evenly, with the aim of reducing academic burnout and easing psychological pressure on students.
As part of immediate interventions, the ministry has temporarily suspended inter-school social events, which officials say have recently become channels through which unrest and coordinated indiscipline spread across institutions.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced that schools, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, will be allowed to conduct random drug and substance abuse tests as part of efforts to tackle the growing influence of narcotics among learners.
In addition, all boarding secondary schools will be required to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems covering dormitories, school compounds and common areas to enhance security and deter acts of arson.
The ministry further plans to tighten regulations governing the transfer of students expelled over violent conduct or destruction of property. Such learners will no longer be automatically admitted into other public institutions without undergoing strict vetting and receiving approval from the Ministry of Education.
Ogamba said the government is also strengthening guidance and counselling services in schools by deploying more counsellors and establishing early warning mechanisms to address grievances before they escalate into unrest.
“We must move from reactive responses to preventive interventions. Schools should be places where learners feel heard and supported,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary warned that the government would no longer tolerate the destruction of public property, saying parents would be held financially responsible for damages caused by their children during strikes.
He added that students found culpable of criminal offences such as arson would face prosecution and that any convictions could affect future background checks and employment opportunities.
The reforms come amid growing concern over a rise in school fires and unrest reported in several parts of the country, prompting calls for comprehensive interventions to address student welfare, discipline and safety.
The Ministry of Education is expected to release further details on the revised 2027 academic calendar and implementation guidelines in the coming months.
