The Osun State Ministry of Education has announced a sweeping new policy banning elaborate graduation ceremonies for nursery and kindergarten pupils in both public and private schools across the state. The directive, which took effect immediately on Thursday, 19th September 2025, is aimed at curbing what the government described as an unnecessary financial burden on parents and the commercialization of early childhood education.
In a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, M.A.K. Jimoh, and addressed to key stakeholders in the education sector, the government stressed that while celebrating milestones in education is commendable, the growing trend of organizing expensive ceremonies for very young learners has raised serious concerns.
The circular was forwarded to the Commissioner for Education, Special Advisers to the Governor on Education, Executive Secretaries, Directors in the Education sector, members of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Parents Teachers Association (PTA), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Association of Model Islamic Schools (AMIS), Catholic Mission Schools (CMS), and Boards of Governors across the state.
According to the Ministry, only pupils completing Primary 6 and students graduating from Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) are permitted to hold graduation ceremonies and parties. All other forms of graduation, particularly those for nursery and kindergarten levels, are strictly prohibited.
“This policy aims to ensure that students, parents, guardians, stakeholders, and schools focus on the academic achievements of learners at the end of their primary and secondary education cycles,” the circular stated. It further emphasized that reducing the cost of education-related celebrations would lessen the financial pressure on families across Osun State.
The Ministry expressed concern that elaborate graduation parties for nursery and kindergarten pupils not only drain family resources but also take away valuable instructional time. “Education that should be functional and developmental must not be commercialized at the expense of parents’ hard-earned resources,” the Permanent Secretary wrote.
In addition to graduation guidelines, the circular also introduced a new directive on the use of textbooks in schools. Proprietors of faith-based and private schools are now required to strictly adhere to the Ministry’s approved list of textbooks. These approved books are to remain in use for a minimum of three years.
The new arrangement, according to the Ministry, is designed to allow siblings to share the same textbooks within the three-year period, thereby reducing the financial stress on parents who often have to buy new textbooks each academic session.
The circular further prohibited the use of workbooks that are embedded inside textbooks. The Ministry explained that such practices render textbooks unusable after one session, defeating the purpose of durability and affordability. “Henceforth, schools are directed to stop the use of textbooks with workbooks inside them,” the policy read.
To enforce compliance, the Ministry announced that monitoring teams would be dispatched to schools for random checks. Any school found violating the new guidelines will face disciplinary action, which may include fines or suspension of registration.
“This government is committed to providing quality and functional education to all students in the state, and this can only be achieved through policies that promote fairness, stability, and sustainability,” the circular emphasized.
Stakeholders in the education sector have been urged to give their full cooperation to ensure the success of the new measures. The Ministry noted that maintaining integrity and purpose in education requires collective responsibility from both public and private actors.
The policy is already generating reactions among parents and school administrators in Osun State. While some believe the directive will relieve families of unnecessary expenses, others argue that graduation ceremonies, even at nursery levels, are motivational for children. Nevertheless, with immediate enforcement in place, Osun State schools will now have to align with the government’s new directive.
