Lagos shifts 2026 JSS placement test over monthly sanitation exercise

The Lagos State Government has rescheduled the 2026 Placement Test for admission into public junior secondary schools from Saturday, July 25, to Tuesday, July 28, after the examination date coincided with the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

The Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, through the Lagos State Examinations Board (LSEB), announced the change in a statement posted on the Lagos State Government’s official X handle on Tuesday.

The placement test is the annual entrance examination organised by the Lagos State Examinations Board for pupils completing primary education who are seeking admission into public junior secondary schools across the state.

What they are saying

The Lagos State Examinations Board said the examination timetable had been adjusted to ensure the smooth conduct of the exercise and minimise disruptions to candidates and other stakeholders.

• “The Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, through the Lagos State Examinations Board (LSEB), has announced the rescheduling of the Year 2026 Placement Test from Saturday, 25th July, 2026, to Tuesday, 28th July, 2026.”
• According to the Registrar of the Lagos State Examinations Board, Mr. Adebayo Orunsolu, the change became necessary after the board realised that the earlier examination date coincided with the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, observed on the last Saturday of every month across Lagos State.

He noted that the movement restrictions associated with the sanitation exercise could hinder candidates, parents, guardians and examination officials from reaching designated examination centres on time.

Orunsolu also assured parents, candidates and school administrators that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure the examination is conducted smoothly and transparently.

• “Every necessary arrangement has been put in place to ensure the successful, transparent, and hitch-free conduct of the Placement Test.”

Get up to speed

The rescheduling follows the Lagos State Government’s decision earlier this year to reinstate the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

• In March 2026, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources announced that the exercise would resume across the state beginning April 25, 2026.
• The sanitation programme, traditionally observed on the last Saturday of every month between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 after a court ruled against restricting residents’ movement during the exercise.

Since its reintroduction, the state has continued to combine the monthly cleanup with broader waste management initiatives, including improved refuse collection, drainage maintenance and public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing flooding and promoting environmental cleanliness.

What you should know

The latest postponement is not the first time a public examination in Lagos has been rescheduled due to external events.

• Earlier this month, the Lagos State Government postponed all Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) papers scheduled for July 1, 2026, following the declaration of the Oro festival in parts of the Ikorodu Division to ensure the safety of candidates and examination officials.
• The Lagos State Examinations Board has also continued to oversee other key entrance examinations this year.

In January, it commenced online registration for the 2026 Screening Test into Model Colleges and Upgraded Junior Secondary Schools with boarding facilities for the 2026/2027 academic session, with the registration exercise running from January 19 to May 15, 2026. The screening test remains one of the state’s major admission pathways into its model secondary schools.