The Gombe State Ministry of Education has rolled out new policy directives aimed at strengthening inclusiveness, equity, and quality in the education sector.
In a statement signed by the Director of Quality Assurance, Saidu Dauda Gadam, the Commissioner of Education, Associate Professor Aishatu Umar Maigari, approved that henceforth, graduation ceremonies in schools across the state will be restricted to Primary Six, JSS III, and SSS III students only.
The ministry also raised concerns over practices in some private schools that compel parents and guardians to purchase learning materials, such as textbooks, uniforms, and writing materials directly from the schools. The new directive bans such mandatory purchases, stating that while schools may make materials available, parents must retain the option to buy them from the open market.
Another area of concern is the growing “sign-out culture,” where students engage in unruly and unsafe behavior during marker-day celebrations. The ministry has reaffirmed that the practice is banned in both public and private schools.
In addition, the state government has outlawed the use of textbooks with built-in worksheets or answer spaces, describing them as wasteful and a financial burden on parents. Effective September 15, 2026, schools will be required to provide separate workbooks or exercise books for individualized activities while ensuring that core textbooks remain reusable under the new NERDC curriculum.
The statement further disclosed that registration and establishment of new private, community, and faith-based schools in the state has been temporarily suspended. Existing schools yet to complete registration, provisional approvals, or obtain final certification have until October 31, 2025, to comply.
The ministry also directed that all private schools must align their academic activities with government policies, including implementation of the new curriculum, skills development programmes, and anti-bullying measures. Private senior secondary schools without approved external examination centres such as WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, or NBAIS have been instructed to report to the ministry for guidance.
According to the ministry, these reforms are part of ongoing efforts to ensure that education in Gombe remains accessible, affordable, and of high quality.
