The Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) has again directed all public primary and junior secondary schools to comply with the state government’s ban on graduation ceremonies, Christmas parties and the collection of graduation levies.
The reminder was contained in a circular dated July 10, 2026, signed by the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Dr Justina Anyadiegwu, and addressed to Officers-in-Charge of Local Government Education Areas and Education Secretaries across the state’s 21 local government areas.
According to the circular, schools are prohibited from organising graduation ceremonies, collecting graduation fees, holding Christmas parties or engaging in any related activities that violate the government’s policy.
ASUBEB instructed school heads to ensure full compliance, while directing education officials to circulate the directive to schools within their jurisdictions and monitor adherence.
The board warned that any school found violating the policy would face appropriate administrative sanctions. It also urged all stakeholders in the basic education sector to support the government’s efforts by complying with the directive.
The renewed warning follows growing concerns from parents over rising school charges and the increasing trend of elaborate graduation ceremonies for pupils who have not completed their final classes.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo first announced the ban in October 2025 as part of measures aimed at easing the financial burden on parents and making basic education more affordable.
The governor also ordered schools to stop using textbooks designed for pupils to write in, arguing that the practice forces parents to buy new books every academic session.
Soludo said textbooks should be reusable, allowing younger siblings to inherit them after older children complete a class, thereby reducing education costs for families.
