Ogun State Cracks Down on Extravagant School Graduations

In a bid to alleviate the financial burden on parents and guardians, the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has introduced a new directive. The directive, which was communicated to all public and private schools in the state through a circular dated 18 June 2026, prohibits the organisation of graduation ceremonies for pupils in non-terminal classes. This move is aimed at reducing the financial pressure on parents and guardians, who are often forced to bear the costs of elaborate graduation ceremonies. According to the circular, only pupils in Primary Six, Junior Secondary School (JSS 3), and Senior Secondary School (SSS 3) will be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies. These ceremonies, however, must be conducted in a modest manner and at no financial cost to the learners, parents, or guardians. The Ministry has also banned the use of canopies, Aso Ebi, customized attire, and other forms of extravagant social displays during graduation events. School proprietors and administrators have been directed to ensure that the directive is widely circulated and strictly complied with. Any institution found to be in violation of the new rules will face sanctions in line with existing regulations governing school operations in Ogun State. The state government had earlier directed all public and private schools to discontinue graduation ceremonies and end-of-session parties, citing concerns over alleged financial pressure on parents and guardians. The Ministry noted that some school administrators had started extorting parents and guardians under the guise of organising graduation and end-of-session parties for learners.