Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Niger State Government has prohibited private schools from holding graduation ceremonies, directing all private educational institutions to replace them with Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremonies to recognise students' achievements. The policy, introduced through the Niger State Private Schools Board, is aimed at standardising end-of-session activities and addressing what authorities describe as the growing culture of elaborate and costly graduation celebrations in private schools.
In a statement issued by the Directorate of Information Services of the Ministry of Information and Orientation, Yunusa Ibrahim, the government said schools should instead use Speech and Prize-Giving Ceremonies to honour students for academic excellence, exemplary conduct, leadership qualities and other outstanding accomplishments. According to the statement, the increasing trend of lavish graduation events has placed undue financial burden on parents while fostering unhealthy rivalry among schools. The government further noted that many of the ceremonies have drifted from their original educational purpose, with excessive spending and commercial interests overshadowing the celebration of academic achievement.
The directive applies to all proprietors of private schools, school administrators and management teams, parents and guardians, as well as other stakeholders in the private education sector. The government clarified that the directive does not prevent schools from celebrating learners or recognising their achievements, adding that speech and prize-giving ceremonies remain appropriate platforms for awarding prizes and certificates, recognising outstanding academic performance, honouring exemplary behaviour and leadership, and showcasing the achievements of pupils and students.
To ensure compliance, the Niger State Private Schools Board, working with the Ministry of Information and Orientation and other stakeholders, will embark on statewide sensitisation campaigns to educate schools and the public on the new policy. Information officers and community mobilisation personnel have also been tasked with engaging school administrators, parents and local communities to promote understanding and implementation of the directive.
The state government reiterated its commitment to improving educational standards and safeguarding the interests of students and parents, stressing that school activities must align with approved educational guidelines and best practices. It also urged schools, parents and other stakeholders to support the initiative, describing it as a step towards promoting discipline, uniformity and academic excellence across the state.
The policy was introduced to promote uniformity in end-of-session activities across private schools, preserve the educational significance of school celebrations, strengthen effective regulation of private educational institutions, and discourage extravagant ceremonies. The government said 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, adding that this represents a shift from the educational purpose of end-of-session activities and has led to the commercialisation of school celebrations.
The Niger State Government reaffirmed its commitment to promoting quality education, protecting the interests of learners and parents, and ensuring that school activities are conducted in line with acceptable educational standards and best practices. The government urged all stakeholders to support the implementation of the directive in the interest of discipline, standardisation and educational excellence in the state's private education sector.
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