I never knew that the 2025/2026 academic session of basic schools in parts of the country had ended until my wife told me in the morning of last week Saturday, July 25, 2026 that she was going to attend her grand-daughter’s graduation ceremony. Ask me, “At what level?” From nursery school to primary one. My wife and children knew I’ve never been an advocate of needless celebrations, and so, the invitation was never extended to me. People are talking of graduation and spending on it even when children are too young to comprehend the meaning of the word!
I visited two separate households the same day and found empty houses. At my first port of call, which was the residence of one of my brothers, the entrance was under lock. When I couldn’t reach my brother on the phone due obviously to network challenges, I reached out to his wife who told me they were all at the graduation ceremony of one of the children. At my next stopover, which was the residence of another brother of mine, I met an empty house and when I called my brother on the phone, he told me they were at the graduation ceremony of one of the children.
I guessed many school-age children in different parts of the country spent most part of last week Saturday, July 25, 2026 partying and feasting as part of activities to mark their graduation from nursery to primary or from primary to junior secondary school; all of which constitute the 9-year basic education in Nigeria. What some of us who had primary and post-primary education in the 1960s and 1970s used to know is what was conventionally called “speech and prize-giving” ceremony, which was organised by schools mainly to mark the end of an academic session.
Before now, the speech and prize-giving event was used not only to recognise outstanding performances among students, but also meant to be an opportunity for school managers to give an assessment report of school activities; stating their achievements, challenges, prospects, and preparations for the next academic year. However, the change in this pattern of ending annual school calendar with a speech and prize-giving event began from private schools, which thereafter spread to public schools.
Now, the event especially in private schools is more about ‘extorting’ graduation fees from parents and guardians than what such a day was known for in the past. Graduation ceremonies at nursery and primary school levels have since become increasingly elaborate. Poor parents find this burdensome trend frustrating; given the already existing pressure they suffer from the costs of school fees, uniforms, textbooks, and the surcharges for extra-curricular activities including career days, cultural days, class parties, and talent shows. The financial responsibilities these events impose on parents have become a growing source of concern.
In many schools, parents are required to pay for expensive graduation gowns and elaborate refreshments. Aside of graduation gowns, some schools ask parents to sew or pay for suits, ties, and hats for the purpose of graduation. In a few cases, children are asked to learn choreographed routines or stage performances that require investment in props and costumes. These activities come with significant price tags that are not always discussed with parents.
Parents are, most often, not carried along in determining the fees payable for graduation activities. Instead, they simply comply to pay the charges; stretching their budgets to ensure that their children are not excluded from graduation activities. This could be a source of inferiority complex in children whose parents fail to pay the surcharges for graduation ceremonies. For many working-class and middle-income families, graduation requirements add up quickly to a huge financial liability that sometimes disrupt the existing peace, love and harmony among the father and mother of a set of children. The situation becomes harder to manage where children are from different mothers in a family.
Following widespread complaints from parents over the financial burden placed on them by elaborate school celebrations, many state governments in 2026 banned graduation ceremonies at specific levels of the school system. In Niger State, for instance, the government prohibited private schools from organising graduation ceremonies, directing them instead to hold speech and prize-giving ceremonies to celebrate academic and personal achievements. The policy, being implemented through the Niger State Private Schools Board, sought to standardise end-of-session activities and discourage extravagant celebrations.
Under the policy in Niger state, schools are expected to use speech and prize-giving ceremonies to recognise excellence in academics, leadership, conduct and other outstanding accomplishments. The government explained that lavish graduation events had become a source of financial strain for parents, and therefore, encouraged unhealthy competition among schools; adding that many ceremonies had departed from their intended purpose, with commercial interests overshadowing academic recognition.
Similarly, the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board had since reaffirmed its ban on graduation ceremonies, Christmas parties, and graduation levies in public primary and junior secondary schools; stating that, “No primary or junior secondary school shall organise or permit any graduation ceremony, graduation levy, Christmas party, or any related activity inconsistent with the government’s directive.” Other states that banned graduation ceremonies include Benue, Ekiti, Imo, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Anambra, and Abia.
Consequently, the Federal Government on January 9, 2026 announced the ban on graduation ceremonies. Under the guidelines of the ban, pupils graduating from “nursery, kindergarten, and lower non-terminal primary and secondary levels” of the system are excluded from participating in graduation ceremonies owing chiefly to the cost of graduation gowns, parties, souvenirs for which parents are surcharged.
Unfortunately, this ban is not working as graduation ceremonies are still being held even for pupils transiting from nursery to primary school level. Indeed, the Education Minister will do better if graduation ceremonies are exclusively restricted to the final year (SS3) students at the end of their senior secondary education. May Allah guide us as educational administrators, policy makers, and parents to regulate school activities for the overall interest of learners and those who bear the cost their education, Amin.
