••• Orders Parents to Reuse Textbooks, Bans Exploitation
Akure — The Ondo State Government has rolled out sweeping reforms in the education sector, sparking heated debate among stakeholders after announcing a ban on graduation ceremonies for nursery pupils and JSS 3 students.
At a stakeholders’ meeting with proprietors and proprietresses of private schools across the 18 local government areas, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the government will no longer tolerate practices that undermine standards in education.
Key measures include:
Re-accreditation of all private schools in the state.
Six-month grace period for unregistered/illegal schools to regularize or face closure.
Ban on underage admissions and use of unapproved/foreign curricula.
Prohibition of elaborate graduation parties for nursery and JSS 3 pupils.
Restriction on excursions without clearance due to security concerns.
Reuse of textbooks to curb exploitation of parents by schools.
Ajibefun, who emphasized that private schools are “critical stakeholders in education,” said the state was determined to restore Ondo’s “lost glory” in the sector.
“When you run an unapproved school, you are running an illegal business. This administration will not allow illegalities. Schools that cannot meet the irreducible minimum should find another business,” he declared.
The Commissioner also disclosed plans to digitize all schools in the state, stressing that pupils would soon be migrated to a government-controlled digital education platform.
While some proprietors commended the reforms, they pleaded for more time to meet the new accreditation requirements and urged government to cut down bureaucracy in dealings with private institutions.
