The Ondo State Government has banned graduation ceremonies for pupils of nursery and primary schools in private schools, as well as students of Junior Secondary School in the state.
Disclosing this on Wednesday while speaking with all proprietors and proprietresses of schools in the 18 local government areas, in Akure, the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, the state Commissioner for Education, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun said this was part of the decision of the state government to sanitize the education sector of the state.
He further disclosed that illegal and unregistered schools were prohibited in the state just as graduation ceremonies for nursery schools and the re-accreditation of all private schools were banned for quality assurance.
Ajibefun also declared that the state government was poised to reposition the education sector and was taking deliberate steps to encourage and support private school owners through different policies.
He said, “My interactions start with private school owners because the private sector plays a critical role as you are major stakeholders in the education business. It is more serious than any other business.
“It is obvious that things have gone bad in the education sector; there are urgent issues we need to address so that we can bring back the lost glory.
“The schools operating illegally in the state would be given a six-month grace period to get approval, and the state would review the conditions for school approval to make it easier.
“When you run an unapproved school, you are running an illegal business. This administration will not allow illegalities, and that is the reason we are reviewing it. In the next couple of weeks, the new conditions will be rolled out. All private schools operating in the state must meet minimum standards.
“We are also banning elaborate graduation ceremonies, especially for nursery and JSS classes in state.”
The commissioner further wanted schools against organizing excursions without approval or clearance from the Ministry due to the state of security in the nation.
He advised private school owners to be circumspect on the issue of making extra lessons compulsory after normal classes.
Furthermore, the government banned the exploitation of parents through the purchase of new textbooks every year, stating that siblings of a particular pupil can continue to use the same textbook for a period of time.
The commissioner also mentioned that the process of digitizing all schools in the state was in progress, noting that the ministry of Education would soon migrate all students in the state’s primary and secondary schools to its digital platform.
