The recent decision by some Southwest states to curb extravagant graduation ceremonies in elementary schools has generated mixed reactions from parents, school owners, and education stakeholders.
In Ondo, the chairman of the State House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Kolawole Ologede, described the move as timely, arguing that such events exploit parents financially.
“All these ceremonies are to siphon money from parents,” he said. “It is surprising when parents say their children are graduating from kindergarten to nursery.”
On his part, Osun State Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, said officials are monitoring private schools to discourage excessive spending.
He noted that the government had engaged with proprietors, directing them to moderate costs. However, the Vice-Chairman of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools in the state, James Oluwole, clarified that graduations were not banned outright, but expected to remain modest.
Some proprietors opposed the restriction, insisting that such ceremonies boost morale and showcase pupils’ achievements.
Meanwhile, parents and educationists remain divided. While some, like Ekiti-based educationist Kolade Agboola, hailed the measure as a relief from financial pressure, others argued moderation, not prohibition, was the better option.
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