Gombe State Commissioner for Education, Associate Professor Aishatu Umar Maigari, has declared that henceforth, graduation ceremonies in all schools across the State shall be limited strictly to students on completion of primary six, JSS III and SSS III.

The development is the Ministry’s effort to ensure inclusiveness and equitable quality education, and to uphold educational standards. This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Quality Assurance in the Ministry, Saidu Dauda Gadam.

Additionally, on the Private Schools General Operational Attitude, the Ministry observed that some private schools mandate the purchase of learning materials in school by students or pupils, (parent/guardians).

In view of the situation, the Ministry banned such practices, stating that any school that wishes to do so, will make such open for the students or pupils to buy either at the school or at the market.

Such materials, according to the statement, include textbooks, uniforms, writing materials, among others.

The statement also frowned at the Sign-out Culture, a growing trend where unruly students use marker to make all kinds of inscriptions on their white attires, which has become a source of concern to the government. She said such practices remain banned in all schools.

Similarly, the practice of producing textbooks with built-in worksheets or answer spaces, which prevents their re-use by subsequent learners and imposes unnecessary financial hardship on parents and leads to avoidable waste, also remained banned.

And from 15th September 2026, all schools are directed to provide separate optional workbooks or exercise books for individualized exercises, while the main textbooks shall remain re-usable in line with the new NERDC curriculum.

The Ministry then stated that it has also temporarily suspended registration/establishment of new Private, Community and Faith-based schools in the state, while all existing schools that are yet to complete their registration, provisional approval process and the collection of final certificates are hereby advised to do so on or before 31st October 2025.

In the same vein, the statement advised that all private school’s academic activities must align with government policies more especially using New Curriculum, Skills development, anti-bullying policies.

Furthermore, all Private Senior Secondary Schools that do not have external examination centres such as WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS, etc should report to the Ministry for proper guidance as the ministry remains committed to ensuring quality education through accessible and affordable means in the state, as released by Saidu Bappa Malala, Special Assistant Media to the Hon Commissioner of Education, Gombe State. (Nigerian Tribune)