August 24, (THEWILL) — The recent ban on graduation parties for kindergarten, nursery and primary school pupils in Imo and Edo states deserve commendation. Coming after the recent outcry over the embarrassment in the education sector caused by the 2025 West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC, “glitched results” that would have ruined the future of many students and defamed many colleges until public outcry forced the regional exams body to correct its malfunctioned system and release the authentic results, both states have showed the kind of response needed to begin the general overhaul of the decaying educational sector in the country.
As we said in a previous editorial, the commercialisation of education, lack of enforcement of standards, streamlining operations and adaptation of curricular to modern trends in the sector and the demands of society has been some of the challenges crying for attention.
According to the Imo and Edo state governments, whose response came within hours of each other and contain a little variation, the move is to “strengthen stability, consistency, and quality learning across all schools,” in their respective states
While the Imo State Government banned graduation parties for kindergarten, nursery and Junior Secondary School pupils with “only Primary 6 pupils and Senior Secondary School students are permitted to hold graduation ceremonies,” Edo State stated that “graduation ceremonies are strictly reserved for pupils who have completed Basic Education (Primary 1–JSS 3) and Senior Secondary 3 (SSS 3).
Both of them took the “measure to reduce financial burdens on parents and redirect attention to the academic development of children.”
In addition, both states also directed school proprietors to stop the annual change of textbooks, which they described as financially draining and destabilising for families.
In a well -articulated policy on textbook reuse and graduation ceremonies, the states granted the permission to schools to use approved textbooks previously purchased by their older siblings for a minimum of four years before review by the Ministry.
Edo State, however, added a far-reaching decision to its policy. It demanded a Mandatory Entrepreneurship Skills Training for JSS 3 Students.
The measure, it stated, is in line with ongoing reforms and the inclusion of new trade subjects in the basic education curriculum, whereby JSS 3 students will undergo compulsory entrepreneurship skills training before graduation.
“Starting from the 2025/2026 academic session, every JSS 3 graduate will be issued two certificates: The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and A Skills Acquisition Certificate in their chosen trade subject. The Ministry reaffirms its unwavering commitment to producing students who are not only academically sound but also equipped with practical entrepreneurial skills to thrive in today’s world,” Edo Ministry stated.
According to Edo State Commissioner for Education Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, “the decision forms part of a new policy designed to promote a more focused and efficient education system that benefits students, parents and the wider society.”
His Imo counterpart, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, was equally more emphatic. He stated that “the decision forms part of a new policy designed to promote a more focused and efficient education system that benefits students, parents and the wider society.”
Both of them stated that their ministries, “would monitor compliance and take necessary action against defaulters.” To think that both states took the same decision within hours is comforting and shows that some critical thinking is going officially about how to salvage the worrisome low level has sunk in the country in terms of quality control and efficiency at the institutional and professional level and skilled, competent and cultured students and pupils at the output level.
We salute the authorities of both states and urge other states to follow suit.
