Key Points
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Kogi bans graduation ceremonies in basic and secondary schools.
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Government says ceremonies exploit parents through unnecessary expenses.
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Officials stress focus must return to learning and discipline.
The Kogi State Government has stopped graduation ceremonies in basic and secondary schools because they have lost their educational purpose and become a financial burden for parents.
According to a report by the Punch news, the Ministry of Education announced the decision because there were worries that both public and private schools were using end-of-session events more and more to ask families for money when they were already having trouble making ends meet. Officials said that the ceremonies had turned into costly social events instead of important academic events.
Government actions against graduation ceremonies
The state government made this decision after looking at the trend in schools, according to Education Commissioner Wemi Jones. He said that many schools had turned graduation ceremonies into businesses, which meant that parents had to pay for uniforms, entertainment, and big parties.
“This government will not let our schools be used to extort money from parents,” Jones told reporters in Lokoja. He went on to say that schools should instead focus on raising the level of teaching and improving student discipline.
The commissioner said that Kogi is still dedicated to academic excellence, but they won’t allow activities that take students’ attention away from schoolwork to unnecessary parties.
The focus is back on discipline and education
Officials say that graduation ceremonies, especially at the basic and junior levels, are too early because students are supposed to keep studying. They said that the events often make kids feel like they are done with school when they are just moving up a grade.
The Ministry of Education has told all school principals in the state to follow the new policy right away. It warned that anyone who didn’t follow the rules would face consequences. Officials said the government’s message is clear: people should celebrate education by doing well in school, not by showing off their wealth through expensive displays of social status.
Parents are happy that costs are going down
Parents have been saying for a long time that graduation ceremonies put too much financial stress on them. Inflation is making food, transportation, and school supplies more expensive, which makes it hard for many families in Kogi to meet their school obligations.
The government hopes that by getting rid of the ceremonies, it will ease the stress on families and support its larger goal of putting more emphasis on quality education. It is still unclear if schools and parents will fully accept the directive, but the message makes it clear that discipline needs to be restored in Nigerian classrooms.
