The Kogi State Government has prohibited graduation ceremonies in nursery, primary, and secondary schools across the state with immediate effect.
The directive was issued by Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, during a meeting with key education stakeholders on Wednesday in Lokoja.
“The practice of incessant graduation ceremonies in nursery, primary, and secondary schools is hereby prohibited in the state with immediate effect,” Jones said.
He explained that such ceremonies impose unnecessary financial strain on parents and encourage social excesses. The ban, he added, seeks to reduce costs for families while fostering more meaningful ways to recognize students’ achievements.
Jones also announced a new policy requiring parents to provide notebooks for pupils to complete classwork and assignments rather than using textbooks as workbooks, particularly in private schools. He stressed that this measure would allow textbooks to be reused by siblings.
“The use of textbooks as workbooks, especially in private schools, must stop. Parents must provide separate notebooks for their children,” he said.
Other policy changes include the introduction of alternative celebration formats to encourage academic excellence, strict adherence to class progression without skipping grades, and a requirement that private school students must sit for mock examinations before registering for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams.
Jones reaffirmed the administration of Governor Ahmed Ododo’s commitment to implementing the Kogi State Education Law enacted in 2020, urging stakeholders to support its enforcement.
He also called on private school owners to maintain moderate fees while delivering quality education and assured that the government would continue efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state.
Stakeholders present — including Local Government Education Secretaries, the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), ANCOPPS, SUBEB, and NAPTAN — praised the ministry’s reforms but requested the hiring of more teachers and the creation of a committee to regulate textbook standards.
The decision in Kogi aligns with similar measures taken in several states. Sokoto banned signing-out celebrations on July 24, Imo prohibited graduation parties for kindergarten, nursery, and JSS-3 pupils on August 18, Ondo issued a similar ban on August 27, and Edo restricted nursery and primary school graduations. At the tertiary level, Nnamdi Azikiwe University also recently outlawed final-year signing-off exam celebrations.
Officials argue these steps are necessary to curb misconduct, reduce wasteful spending, and restore discipline in schools. The National Orientation Agency has endorsed the moves, pledging to launch a National Values Charter to promote responsible behavior among students.