By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
Respites have come the way of parents as the Federal Ministry of Education declared that henceforth, only pupils and students completing Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), and Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) are permitted to hold graduation ceremonies, thereby rolling off huge financial burden off their shoulders.
Newstracktoday also reports that similar pronouncement was made in Edo State.
The ministry also announced a policy that prioritises the use of standardised, durable textbooks designed to last between four and six years, while expressly prohibiting the bundling of disposable workbooks with textbooks in schools.
The directive, according to the ministry, was targeted at reducing the cost of education on parents, improving learning outcomes, and promoting sustainability in schools through the adoption of reusable, high-quality textbooks and strengthened quality assurance mechanisms.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in a statement yesterday, added that the approach was intended to ensure that learning materials could be reused across multiple academic sessions, thus reducing the huge financial burden on parents.
“Additionally, the initiative allow siblings to share textbooks, significantly lowers recurring education costs for parents, and reduces waste within the school system, thereby supporting environmental sustainability,” he said.
The minister also announced the introduction of a uniform academic calendar to promote consistency in teaching, learning, and school planning across the country.
“The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) will continue to play a central role in the assessment and quality assurance of instructional materials, working closely with relevant education agencies to ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-aligned textbooks are approved for use in schools nationwide,” he said.
He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Education to education renewal and reform, and commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), NERDC, and other technical partners, for their contributions to the development of the new policy framework.
The Minister also reaffirmed the federal government’s resolve to safeguard educational standards, promote equity, reduce costs for parents, and ensure that learners across Nigeria have access to high-quality instructional materials that support effective teaching and learning outcomes.