Anambra Schools Enter New Chapter as Government Bans Lavish Graduation Parties

The recent ban on extravagant graduation parties and “sign-off” ceremonies in primary and secondary schools across Anambra State has continued to raise mixed reactions among parents, existing students and graduate students in the state.

In a recent memo, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, informed school owners that the state government has prohibited lavish graduation ceremonies in all schools and urged them to comply with the new directive.

Reacting to this development, Dr Bayo Omogunwa, Executive Assistant to the Governor on Education, spoke with CAMPUS REPORTER on Thursday, 28th August 2025. He explained that the ban was prompted by repeated complaints from parents who are overburdened financially by the unnecessary expenses associated with graduation parties, especially at nursery and primary school levels.

In his words, “what should have been a simple transition ceremony has, in many cases, been turned into a commercial venture, with schools demanding fees for parties, uniforms, and other indulgence from parents.’’

‘’As a government, our duty is to protect parents and ensure education remains accessible and affordable. That is why only Primary Six and senior secondary school class 3 (SSS3) students, those completing important phases of their education, are permitted to hold graduation ceremonies” he said. This concern over costs, reflects the broader economic reality parents are faced with.

According to reports by Premium Times as released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s annual inflation rate eased to 21.88 per cent in July from 22.22 per cent in June 2025.

The statistics office also said the July 2025 headline inflation rate showed a decrease of 0.34 per cent compared to the June 2025 headline inflation rate. 

Inflation indicators compare prices of goods and services in 12 months, decline does not necessarily imply a reduction in prices; instead, it shows the rate of price increase had fallen compared to previous months. These statistics simply show that the Nigerian economy is rarely making a headway, many families have adjusted their feeding routines just to adapt to the new reality.

For many parents, therefore, the idea of paying additional, often compulsory fees for elaborate graduation ceremonies feels like another layer of financial strain in an already difficult climate. In this sense, the government believes its decision to restrict graduation ceremonies is not just about school policy but also about easing household burdens in a country where inflation is steadily eroding disposable incomes.

A parent, Mr Kachionye Ume who identified himself as a civil servant highlighted family pressure, bickering and nagging, verbal altercations as some of the challenges he faced to indulge in the latest mode of graduation ceremony of his child saying he had to go borrowing funds.

According to Mr Ume, ‘’most parents are trapped in the illusion of societal pressures and  material demands which have no intellectual reflection of who a child is. He lamented that despite all the resources lavished on the graduation ceremony his child graduated with a remarkable poor grade.

He further thanked the Anambra State government for taking such a bold step in curbing the menace of lavish graduation parties in the Basic and secondary school levels. 

Apart from the financial burden, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Education Dr Bayo also said that the practice of “signing out” parades has unfortunately become disruptive and in some cases unsafe. 

“While we understand students’ excitement about completing a phase of education, turning it into rowdy parades with vandalism, indecent dressing, or public nuisance is unacceptable, he explained,’’ he said. He added that the state government is engaging school heads to discourage such practices and to redirect students towards more meaningful, safe, and constructive ways of celebrating academic milestones”. 

Notably, the recent ban on lavish graduation ceremonies in Anambra State has shifted its focus to security concerns where some of the schools and pupils who engage in the practice are at risk of being potential targets of traffic accidents, kidnapping, and other forms of insecurities.

It has also been observed that most lavish graduation parties do not take place in the school environment,  some schools hire open fields and event centres without putting proper security structures in place except for few who hire the service of traffic personnel to coordinate human and mobile congestion.

Speaking to CAMPUS REPORTER about the security concerns raised, Anambra born police officer ACP Emeka Ezeibe when contacted agreed that the ban is a healthy decision to distract potential criminal actors from invading schools.

ACP Ezeibe who acknowledged that graduation ceremony is an ideal gathering of remarkable discipline and academic excellence also charged parents to stamp their authority and dissuade their children from such extravagant pressure which exposes them to unnecessary security threats.

He maintained that the issue of security is everybody’s business even as he strongly recommended that schools revert to the ideal model of celebrating outstanding students. He proposed a more regulated and security equipped environment for such an event.

On the part of schools, the ban is a sigh of relief for Mrs Obieze Francisca, the Proprietress of God’s Light Montessori International Prince and Princess School Eziowelle,  Anambra State, who decried the financial burden and pressure the school management experiences while preparing for graduation ceremonies. She commended the Anambra State government for the bold step 

Mrs Obieze expressed sadness over the negative toll the news has taken on both the school, parents and pupils as they often look forward to such parties as an avenue to showcase the school’s worth academically and socially.

While speaking to CAMPUS REPORTER, Mrs Grace Okoli-Emmanuel, a parent, opined that some parents have lost touch with the real essence of parenting. In her words, “I have always said that we’re not allowing children to be children, they don’t enjoy childhood and when they grow up, they misbehave.”

She reiterated that graduation ceremonies should solely be for recognizing and rewarding students’ hard work, saying the ban will curb the excessive use of adult themes in children’s parties.

CAMPUS REPORTER also spoke to Mrs. Susan Nwogbo, a parent whose children are in Jose Maria Academy, Awka. She stated that graduation milestones have to be celebrated given that parents have invested so much in the children’s education, likewise the graduates.

“Unlike birthday parties which come every year, graduation parties are once in a lifetime events especially for secondary school leavers. But if there has to be a ban on big graduation parties it should be only for Basic Schools” she said.

Mary Cynthia Uchendu, a graduate student of Dominican College Abatete, Anambra State while speaking, acknowledged the reality of the graduation pressure on parents, hers inclusive, especially those who have more than one child graduating at same time. 

According to Mary, discipline, contentment, and graduating with good grades should be the bedrock of every child’s upbringing. Her view echoes the government’s stance that while milestones are worth celebrating, they should not come at the cost of parents’ financial well-being. 

The new policy now challenges schools, parents, and students alike to rethink how graduations are marked, not with excess, but with meaningful celebrations that reflect the true essence of education.

This story was jointly written by Nkem Uchendu, Amaka Moneke, Imelda Ebeze, Mbah Abigail Chioma and Uzoeghelu Juliana Uzoamaka. Other are Igwe Nnamdi Daniel, Onuorah Chisom Benedicta, Ogbu chidiogo Esther and Okechukwu Mirabel Ogochukwu, under CJID’s Next-Gen Campus Clinic Project.