The Imo State Government has announced a ban on graduation parties organized for pupils in nursery schools and students in Junior Secondary School (JSS 3).
According to the directive, the decision is aimed at discouraging what authorities described as “unnecessary expenses and distractions” for parents and guardians. The government emphasized that the completion of nursery or JSS 3 classes does not constitute a terminal end of schooling, and therefore should not warrant elaborate celebrations.
Parents and school administrators have been advised to comply with the new regulation. Officials further warned that schools found violating the directive may face sanctions.
Education stakeholders in the state have expressed mixed reactions, with some parents supporting the move as a cost-saving measure, while others argue that graduation parties are a way of encouraging children and rewarding academic progress.
The ban comes as part of broader efforts by the state to reform the education sector and refocus resources on academic excellence rather than social festivities.