The Ondo State Government (ODSG) has placed a ban on 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.
Speaking in Akure during a meeting with proprietors and proprietresses of private schools, the Commissioner for Education explained that the decision became necessary following reports that some schools compel parents to spend huge sums of money on elaborate ceremonies, uniforms, and souvenirs for pupils who are not yet completing their basic or secondary education.
He noted that graduation ceremonies should be limited to students completing primary six and Senior Secondary School (SS3), as they are the recognized exit points in the state’s education system.
Beyond the ban on graduations, the commissioner also announced that government has prohibited the practice of compelling parents to buy new textbooks every academic session, even 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, thereby reducing the financial pressure on households.
The commissioner further revealed that the government is currently working on the digitization of all schools in the state, with plans already at an advanced stage to migrate all students in public primary and secondary schools onto the ministry’s digital learning platform. This, he said, would not only improve access to quality education but also ensure uniformity and accountability across schools.
He warned proprietors against lowering academic standards, stressing that any school that cannot meet the government’s “irreducible minimum” requirements will 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 declared.
n their response, the proprietors and proprietresses commended the state government for appointing a professor as commissioner for education, describing it as a step that has brought renewed vigor and credibility to the sector. They, however, appealed to the government to grant schools more time to complete accreditation processes, and urged it to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks in its dealings with private schools in order to create a friendlier operating environment.
The new directives, observers say, reflect the government’s determination to curb exploitation of parents, promote affordability, and restore discipline in the education system.
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