January 9, 2026 | SUNTV Global Channel
The Federal Government has introduced new guidelines restricting graduation ceremonies in Nigerian schools to only final-year pupils, in a move aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents and refocusing schools on academic excellence.
Under the new policy announced on Friday, only students completing Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) will be allowed to hold graduation ceremonies. This effectively puts an end to the widespread practice of organising graduations for lower classes, a trend the government says has become excessively commercialised.
The policy was jointly unveiled by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suiwaba Sai’d, who noted that graduation events in many schools had turned into cost-heavy exercises.
According to the ministers, parents are often pressured to pay for gowns, souvenirs, professional photographs, and multiple ceremonies within a single academic year — expenses that place unnecessary strain on families.
They explained that limiting graduations to terminal classes would help ease these pressures and restore the focus of schools to teaching and learning rather than ceremonial displays.
The graduation reform is part of a broader education cost-reduction strategy, which also includes changes to textbook usage, academic planning, and the introduction of a uniform national academic calendar to ensure consistency across schools.
“This approach is designed to make education more affordable and sustainable, while ensuring learning materials can be reused across multiple academic sessions,” the ministers said.
Reaffirming its commitment to education reform, the Ministry of Education stated that the new guidelines are intended to reset priorities within the school system, cut unnecessary expenses, and place greater emphasis on academic outcomes rather than social celebrations.
— SUNTV Global Channel
