In a sweeping reform aimed at redefining education priorities, the Ondo State Government has unveiled a dramatic ban on graduation ceremonies for nursery pupils and Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) students.
The directive, announced by Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, came during a recent stakeholders’ meeting attended by private school owners across all 18 local government areas.
Ajibefun denounced the ceremonies as “unnecessary, exploitative, and a needless financial burden” on parents, explaining that graduation rites should be reserved for actual school-leaving stages—namely Primary Six and Senior Secondary School Three. This move aligns Ondo with similar policies recently implemented in Benue and Imo States.
But the reforms go further than just curtailing extravagant ceremonies. The Commissioner also introduced measures to:
Re-accredit all private schools and outlaw unregistered institutions.
Enforce the approved curriculum and official school calendar.
End the practice of forcing parents to buy new textbooks each year; instead, siblings must be allowed to reuse books.
This announcement comes amidst broader efforts to digitise schools across the state, a process Ajibefun says will enhance educational access, uniformity, and accountability. He gave a firm warning: schools that fail to meet minimum standards should “find another business to do,” underscoring the administration’s commitment to restoring integrity in education.
Private school owners commended the appointments of a seasoned academic as Commissioner, saying it brought renewed energy to the sector. Still, they appealed for more time to meet accreditation requirements and called for fewer bureaucratic hurdles in their engagements with the Ministry.
