Ogun, Delta, Kwara, and Other States Order Immediate Stop to Expensive School Graduations to Protect Parents’ Pockets

With primary and secondary schools winding down for the third term, a massive regulatory wave has swept through state capitals, forcing administrators to cancel upcoming graduation parties and end-of-session celebrations.

The widespread intervention targets both public and private institutions. Education ministries across the country are moving to block schools from using end-of-year events as revenue-generating schemes that exploit vulnerable households during a tough economic period.

Ogun State stands at the forefront of the enforcement drive following explicit instructions distributed to school proprietors. The state ministry of education has forbidden graduation ceremonies for nursery, kindergarten, and non-terminal classes like JSS1 or SS2, arguing that children merely advancing to the next class have not reached a milestone that justifies financial celebration. While terminal classes like Primary Six, JSS3, and SSS3 are permitted to mark their exits, the government has banned the compulsory purchase of specialized uniform fabrics, rented canopies, and lavish social displays, ordering that any event must be modest and completely free of charge to parents.

The penalties for violating the new rules are remarkably severe. In Delta State, where authorities are investigating reports of hidden levies, private schools have been warned that ignoring the ban could lead to an immediate five-year closure or total revocation of their operational licenses. Similarly, Niger and Kogi states have deployed monitoring teams to ensure no school demands money for gowns, souvenirs, or entertainment. Kogi State has also extended the policy to tertiary institutions, outlawing noisy and expensive undergraduate “sign-out” rituals.

Interestingly, while the majority of states are acting on purely economic grounds, Kwara State has introduced a complete ban on valedictory ceremonies for an entirely different reason. Officials in Ilorin directed all public and private institutions to suspend gatherings, citing prevailing security challenges and the urgent need to maintain safety and order within school environments.

The sudden policy shift has sparked intense debate among stakeholders. While many civil society groups and struggling parents have praised the governments for stepping in to stop systemic extortion, some private school owners argue that a total ban goes too far. Proprietors claim that modest celebrations help motivate young learners and that regulators should focus on capping costs rather than canceling milestones entirely.

To prevent school activities from grinding to a complete halt, education commissioners have left a small window open. Schools remain free to recognize academic excellence through standard Speech and Prize-Giving Day programs. However, the conditions remain strict: the events must be planned, organized, and financed solely out of the school’s existing budget, ensuring that no child is excluded or penalized due to a family’s inability to pay.