Parents across Imo State have been thrown into confusion after the Ministry of Education announced a total ban on lavish graduation parties for nursery schools and Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) pupils. The directive, issued on August 18, 2025, affects both public and private schools, sparking heated reactions among proprietors and parents.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Johncliff Nwadike, said the new policy is aimed at curbing wasteful spending and restoring “academic focus” among young learners. He argued that expensive ceremony trends had turned education into what he described as “a childish carnival of costumes and souvenirs rather than the acquisition of knowledge.”
Schools have been warned to strictly comply or risk sanctions ranging from fines to withdrawal of operational licences. The government insists that pupils moving from nursery to primary, and those advancing from JSS 3 to SS 1, do not require graduation fanfare because they are still within the same learning system and not completing any final exit examination.
Parents, however, are pushing back, calling the ban insensitive and accusing the state of attempting to dictate family values. Some argued that graduation ceremonies serve to motivate children while boosting the local economy through sewing, decorations, catering, photography and hall rentals.
Private school owners are also lamenting the sudden decision, claiming they had already collected graduation fees and made non-refundable bookings for events slated later this August. A coalition of proprietors has threatened to sue the state government if it does not soften its position and allow schools already prepared to go ahead, promising modest ceremonies.
Education analysts have welcomed the policy but say the timing is dangerous if not followed up with public enlightenment to prevent clashes between school authorities and parents. They noted that Imo currently ranks high in out-of-school rates and should perhaps worry more about universal access to education rather than party policing.
Governor Hope Uzodimma has yet to comment directly on the controversy, but government insiders say the administration is determined to stop what they called “parents dragging children into societal pressure traps.” The question now is whether parents will bow or defy the policy when the school term ends this month.
