The ban, which takes effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, was contained in a circular issued by the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Mike Omolayo.
The Ekiti State government has announced an outright ban on graduation ceremonies for pupils in kindergarten, nursery, primary, and secondary schools across the state, a move that has sparked mixed reactions from parents and education stakeholders.
The ban, which takes effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, was contained in a circular issued by the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Mike Omolayo.
According to the circular, the decision was taken to reduce what government described as “undue financial pressure” on parents and to curb the excesses associated with flamboyant school-organised ceremonies.
“These ceremonies have become unnecessarily expensive, putting parents and guardians under financial strain,” the circular read in part.
The state government stressed that while the ban covers all forms of graduation and valedictory events, schools are expected to focus more on academic activities and affordable, sustainable policies.
In the same directive, the government also announced a review of textbook policy for schools.
It reaffirmed that book reviews for primary schools would continue once every six years, while reviews for secondary schools had been shifted from once in three years to once in four years.
Parents were further advised to allow younger siblings to reuse textbooks passed down from older ones, provided the books remain in good condition.
Similarly, the Kogi State government recently outlawed incessant graduation ceremonies in basic and secondary schools across the state, citing similar reasons.
The decision was announced by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, during a meeting with stakeholders in the education sector in Lokoja.
He said the ban, which also extends to signing-out ceremonies in tertiary institutions within and outside the state, took immediate effect.
According to him, “the practice of incessant graduation ceremonies in nursery, primary, and secondary schools is hereby prohibited. It has become economically unaffordable, puts undue pressure on parents, and attracts social ills associated with such celebrations.”
Jones explained that the new policy aims to reduce the financial burden on parents while promoting a more meaningful approach to celebrating students’ achievements.
As part of the reforms, parents are now required to provide separate notebooks for their children’s classwork and assignments instead of allowing them to write in textbooks. The government said this policy would ensure textbooks remain reusable for siblings.
The commissioner reaffirmed Governor Ahmed Ododo’s commitment to implementing the Kogi State Education Law introduced in 2020. He urged private schools to strictly comply with the new rules, charge moderate school fees, and provide quality education services.
Both states’ policies reflect a growing trend among Nigerian governments to clamp down on what they see as extravagant, unnecessary ceremonies in schools, with officials insisting that the priority should be affordable education and relief for struggling parents.
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