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The Osun State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for pupils in Nursery and Kindergarten across public and private schools.
The state government cites concerns over financial burden on parents and the commercialization of early childhood education.
In a new directive issued by the Ministry of Education, the state said only Primary 6 and Senior Secondary School (SSS3) students are permitted to hold graduation ceremonies.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, M.A.K. Jimoh, who signed the circular, said while the government recognizes the importance of celebrating educational milestones, it frowns at the growing trend of elaborate ceremonies at pre-primary levels which, according to him, divert attention from core learning and exert unnecessary pressure on families.
“This policy aims to ensure that students, parents, guardians, stakeholders and schools focus on the academic achievements of students at the end of their primary and secondary education cycles,” the statement read.
The Ministry also released new guidelines on textbook usage, particularly for faith-based and private schools.
Proprietors were directed to stick to the government-approved list of textbooks, which must be used for at least three years.
This, the circular explained, will allow siblings to share textbooks and reduce the recurring cost of new books for parents.
In addition, the practice of embedding workbooks within textbooks has been abolished.
The Ministry argued that this practice limits the usability of textbooks beyond one academic session, thereby defeating the purpose of affordability and continuity.
To enforce compliance, monitoring teams will conduct random checks in schools. Offenders risk penalties ranging from fines to suspension of registration.
“We count on your full cooperation to uphold the integrity and purpose of education,” Jimoh added.
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