…introduces new Education Reforms
Kogi State has announced sweeping reforms across primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, aimed at easing parents’ financial burdens and restoring discipline in the education sector.
The State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, disclosed that signing out ceremonies in tertiary institutions have been banned with immediate effect. Similarly, the annual graduation ceremonies in primary and secondary schools will be replaced with Speech and Prize Giving Days. Formal graduation will only be permitted after the completion of Senior Secondary School (SSS3) examinations.
According to Jones, the changes are designed to reduce the social excesses associated with frequent celebrations and to promote a more cost-effective school system. He urged stakeholders to familiarise themselves with, and support, the full implementation of the Kogi State Education Law of 2020.
The commissioner further announced a ban on converting textbooks into workbooks. Parents are now expected to provide notebooks or exercise books for assignments so that textbooks can be preserved and reused by siblings.
Jones also stressed strict compliance with other state regulations, including mandatory participation in government-organised mock examinations. “Any school that fails to sit the compulsory mock examination will not have its students cleared for WAEC,” he warned.
He emphasised that the government’s broader goals include reducing the number of out of school children, improving education quality, and integrating information and communication technology (ICT) into teaching and learning.
The commissioner appealed to private school proprietors, parent-teacher associations, and stakeholders to support Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo’s vision of a disciplined and affordable education system for all.
