Benin City, Edo State – The Edo State Government has unveiled comprehensive reforms in the education sector, including a ban on graduation parties for nursery and primary school pupils, mandatory entrepreneurship training for junior secondary students, and a textbook reuse policy.
The Ministry of Education stated that the measures, effective from the 2025/2026 academic session, aim to promote stability, consistency, and quality learning across schools in the state.
Under the new policy, younger siblings will be allowed to reuse approved textbooks purchased by older siblings, with each book remaining in circulation for at least four years before review.
Graduation ceremonies will now be limited to pupils completing Basic Education (Primary 1–JSS 3) and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS 3), with only modest celebrations permitted. Prom parties have been completely banned, and pre-basic and primary school pupils are no longer allowed to hold graduation ceremonies.
In a key initiative, all JSS 3 students will undergo compulsory entrepreneurship training before graduation. From the next academic session, every JSS 3 graduate will receive two certificates: the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and a Skills Acquisition Certificate in their chosen trade.
The Ministry emphasized that the reforms are designed to ensure Edo students are not only academically prepared but also equipped with practical entrepreneurial skills to succeed in a competitive environment.
