The Edo State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for pupils in Basic 1–9 and prohibited the sale of textbooks by teachers in public schools.
Announcing the new policy in a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, said the measures are aimed at strengthening quality, standards, and inclusiveness across the state’s education system.
According to the directive, only textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education will be permitted in schools, with each edition to remain in use for at least four years. Younger siblings must also be allowed to reuse books purchased by older ones, while authors and publishers are barred from including workspaces in textbooks. Workbooks, the ministry said, must be designed separately.
The government further restricted graduation celebrations, permitting them only for pupils completing Basic 9 (JSS 3) and Senior Secondary 3. Pre-basic pupils are banned from holding graduation parties, while proms were discouraged on the grounds that they encourage indecent practices.
Iyamu also reminded school heads of the need to comply with the Edo State Education Law and policy circulars, which mandate compulsory attendance in all basic classes, prohibition of class skipping, and strict use of the national curriculum. Advancing pupils prematurely to certificate classes to sit for the Middle Basic Assessment (MBA) or Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), he warned, is prohibited.
Other directives include: Only qualified teachers may handle academic duties, Pupils must be at least 10 years old to sit for the MBA, No food may be given to students without parental approval, Field trip accommodations must be gender-specific, Seminars during school hours require prior approval.
The ministry also introduced a harmonised academic calendar for 2025/2026, warning that deviations would attract sanctions. School heads are mandated to provide a ministry-approved booklist, while staff are barred from selling books or coercing parents to buy from specific vendors.
Entry into JSS1 now requires evidence of completing Primary 6 and sitting for the MBA, while progression to SS1 or Technical 1 is contingent on passing the BECE. No student may be admitted into certificate classes without written approval from the Commissioner, with violators facing school closure and legal action.
Reiterating the state’s zero-tolerance for examination malpractice, the commissioner stressed that administrators, teachers, and learners must uphold honesty during all examinations.
Schools are further required to adopt compulsory co-curricular activities, enforce weekly sanitation exercises, ensure punctuality and regular attendance, and ban loitering during school hours.
