The Federal Government has banned graduation ceremonies for pupils and students below Primary Six, Junior Secondary School Three (JSS3) and Senior Secondary School Three (SSS3), in a move aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents and guardians across the country.
The new directive was announced on Friday by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaba Sai’d, as part of a fresh set of reforms targeted at improving learning outcomes and promoting sustainability in Nigeria’s education system.
Under the policy, only pupils and students completing Primary Six, JSS3 and SSS3 will be allowed to hold graduation ceremonies. The ministers said the practice of organising frequent graduations at lower levels had become an unnecessary expense for many families.
“Graduation ceremonies have become a source of avoidable financial pressure on parents. Our goal is to refocus attention on learning and academic progress, not social displays,” Alausa said.
In the same vein, the Federal Government introduced a new textbook policy that mandates the use of standardised and durable textbooks that can last between four and six years. The policy also bans the practice of bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks.
Prof. Sai’d explained that the initiative would allow textbooks to be reused across several academic sessions, shared among siblings and passed on to younger pupils, thereby reducing education costs and environmental waste.
“These reforms will ensure that parents are no longer forced to buy new textbooks every year due to minor or cosmetic changes. Textbook revisions must now be meaningful and content-driven,” she said.
The ministers also disclosed that a uniform academic calendar has been adopted to promote consistency in teaching, learning and school planning nationwide.
According to them, the reforms strengthen the assessment and quality assurance process for instructional materials, addressing long-standing concerns about frequent textbook changes that do not add real value to learning.
They added that limits have been set on the number of approved textbooks per subject and class level, in line with international best practices, while the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to regulate and approve all learning materials.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to improving educational standards, promoting equity and ensuring that pupils and students across Nigeria have access to affordable, high-quality learning resources.
