By Chigozie Uzosike,Owerri
The Imo State Government has rolled out sweeping reforms in the education sector, outlawing graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, nursery, and Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) students, while also halting the yearly change of textbooks by schools.
The policy which was released on Monday to newsmen was contained in a memo dated August 15, 2025, signed by the Commissioner for Education, Professor Bernard Ikegwuoha and addressed to parents, guardians, school proprietors, and other education stakeholders in the state.
According to the directive, “graduation ceremonies and parties will now be permitted only for pupils completing Primary 6 and students finishing Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) in strict alignment with Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 education system”.
“This policy aims to ensure that students, parents, guardians, stakeholders, and schools focus on academic achievements at the end of their primary and secondary education cycles”.
“The document also took aim at what it described as the exploitative practice of schools compelling parents to purchase new textbooks every academic session, regardless of necessity”.
Ikegwuoha ordered that textbooks must henceforth have a minimum four-year lifespan, allowing siblings and other students to reuse them, thereby reducing the crushing financial burden on families.
He further warned proprietors of faith-based and private schools against deviating from the government’s approved list of textbooks, insisting that consistency in curriculum materials is central to improving learning outcomes.
“Proprietors are warned to desist from frequent change of textbooks every academic year, as this practice not only imposes needless costs on parents but also undermines the quality and stability of education delivery”.
The Commissioner stressed that adopting approved textbooks for the stipulated four-year period would enhance uniformity, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency in the state’s school system. The new policy, the memo stated, takes immediate effect across Imo State.
