The Ebonyi State Government has ordered the immediate closure of all unapproved private and faith-based schools operating within the state. It also directed parents to withdraw their children from such institutions and enroll them in government-accredited schools.
This development is part of a sweeping new education policy unveiled on Thursday by the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Donatus Ilang. The policy aims to reform and standardise the state’s basic education system.
Among other key directives, the government has outlawed graduation ceremonies for pupils in Pre-Basic (Kindergarten and Nursery) and Primary 6. Graduation parties, according to the new policy, will now be strictly reserved for students who complete Junior Secondary School (JSS3) and Senior Secondary School (SS3).
Under the new guidelines, both public and private schools must adopt only government-approved textbooks. These materials will remain in use for a period of four years before being reviewed. In line with a new textbook reuse policy, students are prohibited from writing in or marking the books, to allow younger siblings and other students reuse them.
Other major provisions include:
1. Closure of Unapproved Schools
All unregistered and unqualified private and faith-based schools have been shut down with immediate effect. The government instructed that pupils in such schools be moved to recognised institutions.
2. Mandatory Use of Approved Textbooks
All schools are required to use only the textbooks approved by the Ebonyi State Ministry of Education.
3. Admission Requirements
The First School Leaving Certificate FSLC has been made compulsory for admission into any secondary school in the state.
4. Transfer Policy
Students seeking to transfer from one school to another must present a valid transfer certificate from their previous school before they can be admitted.
5. Revised Grading System
The state government has abolished grading based on class position for general assessment. Only first, second and third positions will be recognised. Students who fail promotion examinations must repeat the class as the pass or fail system takes full effect.
6. Ban on Graduation Ceremonies for Early Grades
All forms of graduation celebrations for Kindergarten Nursery and Primary 6 pupils are now prohibited across the state.
7. Compulsory Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship
A new subject has been introduced to integrate entrepreneurship and vocational training into the curriculum. All students in the basic and senior secondary education levels are now required to undergo training and will receive certificates in skill acquisition and entrepreneurship upon graduation.
7. Prohibition of Compulsory After-School Lessons
The state has banned compulsory after-school lessons in all public and private schools unless such lessons are mutually agreed upon by parents and school management.
All school principals and administrators have been directed to implement the new policy immediately. The government warned that failure to comply would attract strict sanctions.
Speaking on the rationale behind the reforms, Dr Ilang stated that the policy was designed to raise educational standards, promote uniformity in learning materials, reduce parents’ financial burden and ensure that every child in the state receives quality education in a regulated and supportive environment.
“The era of operating substandard and unregulated schools is over. We are committed to building a functional education system that serves all children equally and prepares them for the future,” the commissioner said.
