Kogi Government Bans Graduation Ceremonies In Basic And Secondary Schools

The Kogi State Government has prohibited graduation ceremonies in all basic and secondary schools across the state, effective immediately.

The announcement was made on Wednesday in Lokoja by the Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, during a meeting with key stakeholders in the education sector.

“The practice of incessant graduation ceremonies in nursery, primary, and secondary schools is hereby prohibited in the state with immediate effect,” Jones declared.

He explained that such events have become financially burdensome for parents and are often linked to social excesses. The ban, he said, is intended to ease parental expenses and encourage more meaningful ways to celebrate academic achievements.

As part of new education policies, parents will now be required to provide notebooks for pupils to complete classwork and assignments rather than writing directly in textbooks. Jones noted that this would allow textbooks to be reused by younger siblings, particularly in private schools where the use of textbooks as workbooks has become common.

“The use of textbooks as workbooks must stop. Parents must provide separate notebooks for their children. We will also introduce new, healthier ways to celebrate academic milestones, ensure students follow proper progression without skipping grades, and make mock examinations mandatory before registering for WAEC,” Jones said.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing the Kogi State Education Law of 2020 and called on stakeholders to ensure compliance. The commissioner also urged private schools to maintain moderate fees while improving educational standards.

Stakeholders at the meeting — including Local Government Education Secretaries, NAPPS, ANCOPPS, SUBEB, and NAPTAN — welcomed the government’s efforts to improve education but requested more teachers in public schools and stricter regulation of approved textbooks.

Kogi joins a growing list of states restricting school graduation or “signing-out” ceremonies. Sokoto, Imo, Ondo, and Edo states have recently imposed similar bans to curb reckless behavior, wasteful spending, and moral decline. Tertiary institutions, including Nnamdi Azikiwe University, have also cracked down on final-year celebration rituals, with disciplinary penalties for violators.

Education officials and the National Orientation Agency have defended these measures as necessary to restore discipline in schools, prevent vandalism, and discourage ostentatious displays that place unnecessary pressure on parents.