By Musa Solomon
Kogi State Government has abolished the use of restricted customized textbook, exercise books in basic and secondary education effective form 2025/2026 academic calendar.
Also abolished is the compulsory school graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, Nursery and basic school in the State.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Education Honorable Wemi Jones made the pronouncement at the critical stakeholders meeting with Education stakeholders in Lokoja on Wednesday.
The Commissioner said the era where senior students used textbooks and cannot transfer it to students in lower classes is over in the State,
He noted that the State Government would no longer condone the policy in the State, saying that the government is poised to return education to its old glory using ICT.
He stated that where textbooks have been converted to workbooks, the exercises in the textbooks should be done in exercise books so that the books can be usable by siblings.
On graduation ceremonies, the commissioner said that, henceforth the only ceremony allowed in basic and secondary education would be Annual Speech and Prize Given Day
The incessant graduation ceremonies he noted have put undue pressure on parents and have become economically unaffordable.
According to him, the basic and secondary education level is the foundational level of education development in any nation and must not be taken for granted.
He called on all stakeholders to conversant With the State Education Law 2020, saying that the ministry would start the full implementation of all the clauses in the law.
Jones advised parents to exercise caution in allowing their children to pass through the required classes from primary to secondary school levels.
The commissioner who frowned at private schools for not registering their students for Mock Examination said henceforth any schools that refused to register their students for the Examination would not be cleared to register for WAEC.
In his welcome address, the Director, Basic and Secondary Education, Kogi State Ministry of Education, Mr Matthew Salami, commended the stakeholders for turning up the meeting, saying their presence showed their passion and commitment to the education development in Kogi State.
He called for a robust and collective contribution to the development and transformation of education in Kogi.
In their responses , the stakeholders commended the State Government for coming up with the new Policies, saying that it would go a long way in restoring the glory of education and assured the government of their continuous support.
They stressed the need to ensure prompt marking and release of Mock results before the commencement of WAEC to serve as a guide to the students.
In her vote of thanks, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Mrs Barikisu Omolayo, commended the commissioner for his commitment to Education development in the state, and urged the participants to ensure they comply fully with the policies.
She thanked the participants for their active participation in ensuring the delivery of quality education in the state.
