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The Niger State Private Schools Board has banned graduation ceremonies in all private schools across the state with immediate effect.
The directive was announced in a statement by Yunusa Ibrahim, Director of Information Services at the Niger State Ministry of Information and Orientation.
Under the new policy, private schools are to replace graduation ceremonies with Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremonies as the official platform for celebrating pupils and students, recognising academic excellence, exemplary conduct, leadership and other outstanding achievements.
Ibrahim said the directive is binding on all private school proprietors, administrators, management teams, parents, guardians and other stakeholders in the state’s private education sector.
He explained that the policy is intended to standardise end-of-session activities across private schools, preserve the educational value of school celebrations, strengthen regulation of private institutions and curb what the government described as increasingly extravagant ceremonies.
According to him, the move will allow schools to place greater emphasis on academic performance and character development rather than elaborate celebrations.
He stressed that the directive does not stop schools from recognising the achievements of their pupils and students.
Instead, he said Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremonies should be used to present prizes and certificates, honour outstanding academic performance, reward exemplary behaviour and leadership, and celebrate learners’ accomplishments.
“Graduation ceremonies in some private schools have become increasingly elaborate and expensive in recent years, resulting in high financial demands on parents and guardians, and unnecessary competition among schools.
“This is a shift from the educational purpose of end-of-session activities, and the commercialisation of school celebrations.”
Ibrahim said the board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Orientation and other relevant stakeholders, would begin public awareness and sensitisation campaigns across the state to promote understanding of the directive and ensure compliance.
He reaffirmed the Niger State Government’s commitment to improving the quality of education, protecting the interests of learners and parents, and ensuring that school activities are conducted in line with acceptable educational standards and best practices.
He also called on school owners, parents and other stakeholders to support the policy’s implementation in the interest of discipline, standardisation and educational excellence across the state’s private education sector.
