The Benue State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and primary schools across the state.
The Acting Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Mrs. Helen Nambativ, announced the decision in Makurdi on Tuesday, warning that defaulting schools risk sanctions, including temporary closure.
Nambativ, who also serves as the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, said the policy takes immediate effect and aims to reduce financial pressure on parents while refocusing attention on the academic development of pupils.
“The new directive is people-oriented and will sanitise the education sector at the basic level. Any school that fails to comply in the 2025/2026 academic session may not be allowed to operate,” she said.
She added that the government would set up a task force to monitor compliance.
A memo issued by the ministry on August 21 outlined additional measures, including the abolition of compulsory, customised textbooks and exercise books, which make it difficult for pupils to reuse learning materials. Schools have now been directed to return to the traditional practice of passing books from senior pupils to junior ones.
The memo also prohibited compulsory and extended lessons after school hours, except where parents specifically request them.
Reactions to the policy have been mixed. A school proprietor in Makurdi, who spoke on condition of anonymity, criticised the timing of the decision, noting that many schools had already procured the now-prohibited books. He suggested the government should have allowed a one-year grace period.
However, some parents welcomed the policy. Mr. James Bemgba, a parent in Makurdi, praised the government for “taking a huge burden off parents’ shoulders.” He noted that some schools compel parents to pay for graduation ceremonies for children as young as three years old, alongside other unnecessary expenses.
The state government said enforcement would begin immediately.
