The Ebonyi State Government has announced a ban on graduation ceremonies and other practices in nursery, primary and secondary schools in the state.
The Commissioner for Education in Ebonyi State, Donatus Ilang, announced this in a statement on Monday.
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Mr Ilang said the state government has also banned graduation ceremonies for pre-basic and kindergarten schools.
He stressed that such events would now be reserved exclusively for those who successfully complete Junior Secondary (JSS3) and Senior Secondary (SS3) education.
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Mr Ilang also announced a ban on writing assignments on textbooks, saying the initiative was intended to enable siblings reuse such textbooks and reduce school expenses on parents.
The commissioner explained that the decisions were in line with Governor Francis Nwifuru’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda and the state’s policy on educational reform.
He said the state government has directed all schools in the state, both public and private, to adopt a unified set of government-approved textbooks.
Mr Ilang said the policy was aimed at standardising learning materials and ensuring uniformity across the education system.
He stressed that as part of the reforms, all government-approved textbooks will be in use for at least four years before review.
“To enable reuse by younger siblings, students are prohibited from writing assignments or notes inside the (text) books,” he said.
Closure of unapproved schools
Mr Ilang further announced the immediate closure of all “unapproved and unqualified faith-based and private schools” in the state.
“Parents are directed to transfer their children and wards to government-approved schools without delay,” he said
Mr Ilang also emphasised that the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) has become a mandatory requirement for admission into secondary schools.
“Similarly, transfer students must present authentic transfer certificates from their former schools before they can be admitted,” he said.
On the grading system, the commissioner said the state government has abolished the ranking of students by position beyond third place.
He said that only first, second and third positions will be recognised, while other students will be graded as either “pass” or “fail.”
According to the commissioner, students who fail their promotion examinations must repeat the class as part of efforts to strengthen academic standards.
In addition, Mr Ilang announced that the state has introduced a compulsory Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition subject into the school curriculum.
He said that graduating students at the Basic Education and Senior Secondary levels will now be issued certificates in Entrepreneurship and Skill Acquisition alongside their academic results.
The commissioner also announced an immediate ban on compulsory extra lessons in all schools across the state.
He, however, clarified that lessons may still be allowed where a formal agreement exists between parents, teachers or school managers.
“All principals and school administrators are directed to comply strictly with these directives.
“These reforms are designed to enhance the quality of education in Ebonyi State and equip our children with the knowledge and skills needed for the future,” Mr Ilang said.
Like Ebonyi, like Anambra
The latest development occurred days after the Anambra State Government issued a similar ban across all schools in Anambra State.
Beyond Anambra and Ebonyi, Imo, Benue, Ondo, Edo and Kogi have also announced similar bans in their states.
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