Imo State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and Junior Secondary School, JSS3 students.
The directive is contained in a memo signed by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, and addressed to parents, guardians, and stakeholders.
It has also prohibited schools from changing textbooks on an annual basis.
According to the memo, under the policy, graduation ceremonies will now only be permitted for pupils completing Primary 6 and students finishing Senior Secondary School 3, SSS3, in line with the 6-3-3-4 education system.
The government further directed that textbooks must have a minimum four-year lifespan to allow reuse by siblings and ease the financial burden on parents. Schools were also warned against deviating from the approved list of textbooks.
Professor Ikegwuoha explained that the measures are designed to curb exploitative practices in schools, promote uniformity in teaching, and ensure that attention remains on students’ academic achievements.
The policy takes immediate effect.
