The Osun State Government has banned elaborate graduation ceremonies for nursery and kindergarten pupils in both public and private schools.
The Ministry of Education announced the policy on Thursday, saying it was aimed at curbing what it described as an unnecessary financial burden on parents and the growing commercialisation of early childhood education.
In a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, M.A.K. Jimoh, the government said only pupils completing Primary Six and students finishing Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) would be allowed to hold graduation parties.
“Education that should be functional and developmental must not be commercialised at the expense of parents’ hard-earned resources,” the circular stated.
The directive also introduced new rules on the use of textbooks. Schools are now required to stick to the ministry’s approved list, with each book remaining in use for at least three years. Workbooks embedded inside textbooks have been banned to ensure reusability.
Monitoring teams will be deployed to enforce compliance, with penalties including fines or suspension of registration for defaulting schools.
The policy has drawn mixed reactions, with some parents welcoming the cost relief, while others argue that the ceremonies motivate young learners.
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