Abia Govt Restricts Graduation Ceremonies to Terminal Classes in Public,Private Schools

The Government of Abia State has announced that graduation ceremonies in all schools both public and private are now restricted to terminal classes only, Primary 6 and Senior Secondary 3 (SS3).

This policy was part of a series of decisions made during the State Executive Council meeting held in Umuahia and chaired by Governor Alex Otti.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the move is aimed at reducing unnecessary financial pressure on parents and standardizing school practices across the state.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, explained that graduation ceremonies for nursery and lower primary classes are unnecessary and often impose avoidable financial burdens on parents.

Another key policy decision is the separation of textbooks from workbooks. According to Ubochi, this will allow younger siblings to reuse textbooks, while workbooks which are designed for individual student use will remain specific to each child.

To further alleviate financial stress and improve educational administration, the government directed schools not to charge more than ₦2,000 for the issuance of Primary 6 certificates. Parents were also urged to collect their children’s First School Leaving Certificates, as many are reportedly abandoned or left unclaimed.

In a related development, the government has made it mandatory for all candidates registering for the West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO), or the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams to present their Basic Education Certificate as a prerequisite.

Additionally, no student will be allowed to proceed to SS3 without passing a state-organized mandatory promotion examination at the end of SS2. Ubochi emphasized that this requirement applies to both public and private schools. Furthermore, students will no longer be permitted to transfer between schools from SS2 to SS3.

According to the Commissioner, these measures are intended to curb examination malpractice, strengthen accountability, and uphold integrity in the education system.

“These policies are designed to reduce financial pressure on parents, promote accountability, and ensure integrity in the educational system,” Ubochi stated.