Imo State Bans Graduation Ceremonies For Nursery And JSS Students

• The Imo State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and Junior Secondary School (JSS) pupils.
• The ban aims to alleviate financial pressure on parents.
• The decision is intended to enhance academic focus among students.

The Imo State Government has placed an immediate ban on graduation ceremonies for pupils in kindergarten, nursery, and Junior Secondary School (JSS), in a move aimed at reducing financial strain on parents and strengthening focus on academics.

The decision was made known in a memo issued by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, and circulated to parents, guardians, and school operators across the state.

In the memo, dated August 15, 2025, with reference number MOEPS/COMMR/2025/VOL.1/155, Ikegwuoha also directed schools to put an end to the constant change of textbooks, describing the trend as costly and disruptive to families.

According to him, the policy is designed to streamline the education process and foster a more stable and effective learning system that benefits learners, parents, and the community.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education remains committed to delivering functional and quality education to every child. To this end, clear guidelines have been set on graduation ceremonies and textbook usage in schools,” the commissioner stated.

Under the new rules, only pupils completing Primary 6 and students graduating from Senior Secondary School will be permitted to hold graduation ceremonies, in line with the 6-3-3-4 education structure. Events for kindergarten, nursery, and JSS3 students are now officially prohibited.

On textbooks, Ikegwuoha explained that schools are required to use the state-approved list for at least four years. This allows parents to reuse books for their children and prevents unnecessary expenses.

He cautioned private and mission schools against flouting the directive, noting that the practice of frequent textbook changes undermines both financial and educational stability.

“Maintaining the approved textbooks for the specified period will help create a more effective and consistent learning environment,” he emphasized.

The Education Ministry assured that monitoring mechanisms would be put in place to ensure compliance, adding that defaulters would face appropriate sanctions.

Many residents of Imo State have expressed support for the initiative on social media, describing it as a welcome relief from exploitative practices in the education sector.