Human Rights Advocate Urges FG to End ‘Exploitative’ Graduation Ceremonies, Arbitrary Charges in Private Schools

Human Rights Advocate Urges FG to End ‘Exploitative’ Graduation Ceremonies, Arbitrary Charges in Private Schools

By Naomi Onome

A Human Rights Advocate and President of the Ambassadors for Peace and Enlightenment Foundation (AMPEF), Comrade Prince Saviour Iche, has called on the Federal Government to introduce a nationwide policy to regulate private schools and end what he described as exploitative practices that are placing severe financial burdens on Nigerian parents.

Iche made the appeal while reacting to what he described as the growing commercialization of education by some private schools through compulsory graduation ceremonies for pupils in non-terminal classes, the sale of customized textbooks and exercise books at inflated prices, and the imposition of mandatory party levies.

According to him, many private schools now organize graduation ceremonies for pupils moving from nursery to primary school and from one lower class to another, compelling parents to pay between ₦80,000 and ₦200,000 for graduation gowns, outfits, photographs, and celebration fees.

He disclosed that some parents have been forced to borrow money to meet such demands, citing the case of a woman who reportedly sought financial assistance simply to purchase a graduation gown for her children.

Describing the trend as unacceptable, Iche said graduation ceremonies were traditionally meant for graduates of higher institutions and should not be commercialized at the nursery and primary school levels.

He noted that the financial burden is compounded because the graduation expenses are often demanded just weeks before a new academic term begins, when parents are again expected to pay school fees.

The human rights advocate also condemned the practice of private schools compelling parents to purchase exercise books and textbooks exclusively from the schools instead of allowing them to buy more affordable alternatives in the open market.

According to him, many schools now produce customized textbooks and workbooks while changing them every academic session, making it impossible for younger siblings to reuse books previously used by older ones.

He said the practice has significantly increased the cost of education for families already grappling with the country’s economic challenges.

Iche further criticized the inclusion of compulsory “party fees” in school bills, alleging that some schools have denied pupils access to classes because their parents failed to pay such charges despite paying their tuition fees.

He called on the Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education and Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Lagos State Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun to strengthen regulation of private schools, insisting that all educational institutions, whether public or private, should be subject to effective government oversight.

He urged the Federal Government to prohibit compulsory graduation ceremonies for non-terminal classes, regulate arbitrary levies imposed by schools, ensure textbooks remain standardized and reusable across academic sessions, and allow parents the freedom to purchase educational materials from the open market.

Iche pointed to states such as Imo, where restrictions have reportedly been introduced against non-terminal graduation ceremonies, and urged the Federal Government to adopt similar measures nationwide to protect parents from excessive financial demands.