The Imo State Government has implemented a new education policy, effective immediately, that bans graduation ceremonies for nursery and Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) students and prohibits schools from changing textbooks every academic year.
The directive was contained in a memo dated August 15, 2025, and signed by the Commissioner for Education, Professor Bernard Ikegwuoha. The policy, titled “Policy on Education for Public and Private Primary and Secondary Schools in Imo State,” was addressed to parents, guardians and other stakeholders in the state’s education sector.
Under the new regulations, graduation ceremonies and parties will only be permitted for students completing Primary 6 and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3), in line with Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 education system. The Commissioner stated that the policy is intended to “ensure that students, parents, guardians and stakeholders, and schools focus on the academic achievements of students at the end of their primary and secondary education cycles.”
In a move to ease the financial burden on parents, the memo also addresses what the government described as the “exploitative practice” of schools demanding new textbooks annually. Professor Ikegwuoha has directed that all textbooks must now have a four-year lifespan, allowing them to be reused by siblings.
The Commissioner also cautioned proprietors of faith-based and private schools against deviating from the approved list of textbooks, emphasizing that consistency in curriculum materials is essential for enhancing learning outcomes. He noted that the new policy would promote cost-effectiveness for families while ensuring uniformity in teaching and learning across all schools in the state.
