The Ondo State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for nursery pupils and Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) students, describing the practice as unnecessary, exploitative, and a needless financial burden on parents.
The Commissioner for Education, who disclosed this in Akure during a meeting with proprietors and proprietresses of private schools, explained that the decision followed reports that some schools compel parents to spend huge sums on elaborate ceremonies, uniforms and souvenirs for pupils who are not yet completing their basic or secondary education.
He stressed that graduation ceremonies should be limited to pupils completing primary six and Senior Secondary School (SS 3), as they remain the officially recognised exit points in the state’s education system.
Besides the ban, the commissioner also announced that government has prohibited the practice of compelling parents to buy new textbooks every academic session when the same books are still in use.
According to him, 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.
The commissioner further disclosed that government was already working on the digitisation of all schools in the state. He said plans were at an advanced stage to migrate students in public primary and secondary schools onto the ministry’s digital learning platform.
This, he noted, would improve access to quality education, ensure uniformity and promote accountability across schools.
He also cautioned proprietors against lowering academic standards, warning that any school unable to meet the government’s “irreducible 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, proprietors and proprietresses of private schools commended the government for appointing a Professor as Commissioner for Education, describing the move as one that has brought renewed vigour and credibility to the sector.