The Ondo State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for nursery and Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS 3) pupils, describing the practice as exploitative and an unnecessary financial burden on parents.
The state Commissioner for Education disclosed this in Akure during a meeting with proprietors and proprietresses of private schools. He cited reports that some schools compel parents to spend heavily on elaborate celebrations, uniforms, and souvenirs for pupils who are not yet completing any officially recognised academic stage.
He said graduation ceremonies should be limited to pupils in Primary Six and Senior Secondary School 3 (SS 3), which remain the only recognised exit points in the state’s education system.
The commissioner also announced a ban on the practice of forcing parents to buy new textbooks every academic session, even when the books remain valid and in use.
“Siblings of a pupil should be allowed to use the same instructional materials for a period of time, to ease the financial burden on households,” he said.
He added that the government is working to digitise the entire school system across the state. According to him, plans are at an advanced stage to migrate students in public primary and secondary schools onto the ministry’s digital learning platform.
He said the move is aimed at improving access to quality education, ensuring uniform standards, and enhancing accountability in schools.
The commissioner also warned private school operators against compromising academic standards. He said any institution that fails to meet the government’s minimum requirements would be shut down.
“We will not go below the minimum acceptable standard. Any school that fails to comply should find another business to do. Education is too sensitive to be compromised,” he said.
Responding, the proprietors and proprietresses of private schools commended the government for appointing a professor as commissioner for education, describing the decision as one that has brought renewed credibility and energy to the sector.
They however appealed for more time to complete their accreditation processes and urged the government to address bureaucratic delays in its dealings with private schools to create a more enabling environment.
