Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Ogun State Government has announced a total ban on graduation ceremonies and end-of-session parties across all public and private schools in the state, citing reports that some school administrators were using the events to extort money from parents. The directive, issued on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, applies to all classes and takes immediate effect.
In a circular signed by A.A. Bisiriyu, Director of Education (Private Schools), on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, the ministry stated that it had received complaints that some schools were compelling parents and guardians to pay various fees under the guise of organising graduation and end-of-session celebrations. “It has been brought to the notice of the Ministry that some Administrators of both Public and Non-State (Private) schools have started extorting parents/guardians under the disguise of organizing graduation/end of the session party for the learners,” the circular read.
The government said the practice contravenes resolutions reached during the 2025/2026 pre-resumption stakeholders’ meeting held in September 2025 at Lisabi Grammar School Hall, Abeokuta. “Therefore, it is pertinent to state that the State Government frowns at organising Graduation/End of Session Party ceremony in all classes in both Public and Non-State (Private) schools in the State. Hence, no school owner should organise such gatherings forthwith,” the circular stated.
The government warned that any school found violating the directive would face sanctions. School administrators were also directed to publicise the directive widely among parents, teachers and other stakeholders to ensure full compliance.
The directive comes as primary and secondary schools across Ogun State are nearing the end of the 2025/2026 academic session, which is expected to conclude by mid-July. This follows a similar ban introduced in late 2025 on graduation ceremonies for pupils in pre-basic and kindergarten schools, which restricted such events to only students completing Primary Six, Junior Secondary School Three, and Senior Secondary School Three.
Ogun is not alone in this policy push. Other state governments, including Ekiti, Imo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, Ondo and Osun, have also introduced similar bans on nursery and primary school graduation parties to ease financial pressures on parents and curb exploitative practices by school proprietors.
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