Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has announced a ban on graduation ceremonies and Christmas parties in all schools across the state. The decision, he said, is aimed at easing the growing financial pressure on parents and guardians.
Soludo issued the directive during an All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) campaign rally held on Friday, the 10th of October, 2025, in Awka North, ahead of the 8th of November, governorship election.
He explained that the move aligns with his administration’s goal of making education more affordable and inclusive for families of all backgrounds.
The governor lamented what he called the “unnecessary expenses imposed on parents through school-related activities,” stressing that his government would no longer tolerate exploitative practices in the education sector.
“This is to the owners and administrators of government, private and mission schools in Anambra. We have set out some basic standards to ensure that the poor are not made to spend so much just because their children are in school,” Soludo stated.
He pointed out that one of the new measures involves ending the use of textbooks designed for students to write in, which he said forces parents to buy new books every year.
“Once a child finishes a class, he should be able to pass on his textbooks to his younger siblings,” he added.
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Soludo further condemned the trend of organising “graduation ceremonies” for pupils moving from one class to another, calling it both unnecessary and exploitative.
“Even at Christmas parties, parents should not be made to pay for such. These are too many expenses on poor parents,” he said.
The governor warned that any school found disobeying the new order would face strict sanctions.
“These activities will end in Anambra schools because we will begin enforcement and any school that fails to comply or violates these standards will be closed.
“I will personally see to that. And when we seal your school, you can go to court. We will meet there,” Soludo declared.
He restated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that every child in Anambra has access to quality, affordable, and equitable education.