The African Centre for Human Advancement and Resource Support (CHARS-Africa) has called on the Abia State Government to take decisive action against exploitative practices in schools by adopting education policies recently introduced in Imo State.
Earlier this month, the Imo State Government, through its Ministry of Education, issued firm directives regulating graduation ceremonies and textbook usage across public and private schools. The move has been widely praised for easing the financial burden on parents who had long complained about unnecessary levies, multiple ceremonies, and the compulsory purchase of new textbooks each year.
ALSO READ: Imo Government Bans Nursery, JSS3 Graduation Ceremonies and Yearly Change of Textbooks
The Situation in Abia
According to CHARS-Africa, many private and faith-based schools in Abia have normalized organizing expensive graduation ceremonies at every level — from kindergarten to junior secondary school. Parents are also forced to buy brand-new textbooks annually, often at the insistence of school proprietors working with publishers, leaving used books unusable for younger siblings.
“These exploitative practices push parents into debt and hardship,” CHARS-Africa stated, stressing that the commercialization of education is both unfair and unconscionable.
Legal and Policy Grounds
The organization argues that such practices violate several Nigerian laws and policies, including:
- The Constitution (Section 18) – guaranteeing equal and affordable education.
- The Universal Basic Education Act (2004) – mandating free and compulsory basic education.
- The Child’s Rights Act (2003) – which prioritizes the best interest of the child.
- The Consumer Protection Act (2019) – which guards against unfair trade practices.
CHARS-Africa’s Position
To restore fairness, the group proposes that:
- Graduation ceremonies should be restricted to Primary 6 and SS3 students in line with the 6-3-3-4 education system.
- Textbooks should be standardized and used for a minimum of four years before being replaced.
- Monitoring and enforcement mechanisms should be established to ensure compliance across both public and private schools.
Call to Action
CHARS-Africa urged Governor Alex Otti, the Abia State House of Assembly, the Ministry of Education, and the State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) to work with civil society groups and school proprietors to end what it described as “legalized extortion” in the education sector.
“Education should not be an avenue for exploitation but a right for the public good,” the group emphasized, adding that protecting parents from financial exploitation is a constitutional duty, not a favor.
The Way Forward
While commending Imo State for setting a precedent, CHARS-Africa insists that Abia must follow suit to safeguard parents and ensure equity in education. “Our children deserve a system that uplifts them, not one that bankrupts their parents,” the group concluded.
Below is the full press release
PRESS STATEMENT
18th August, 2025
CHARS-Africa URGES ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT TO EMULATE IMO STATE POLICY ON GRADUATION CEREMONIES AND TEXTBOOK USAGE SO AS TO CURB EXTORTION IN SCHOOLS
The African Centre for Human Advancement and Resource Support (CHARS-Africa) has observed with keen interest the recent proactive directive of the Imo State Government, issued through its Ministry of Education, placing firm guidelines on the conduct of graduation ceremonies and textbook usage in both public and private primary and secondary schools. This policy has brought relief to parents and guardians in Imo State who have long been subjected to extortionist practices by some school proprietors under the guise of multiple ceremonies and compulsory purchase of new textbooks yearly.
We commend the Imo State Government for this bold initiative and call on His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, the Governor of Abia State, and all relevant stakeholders in the education sector to immediately emulate and adapt this policy within Abia State.
THE PROBLEM IN ABIA STATE
It has become commonplace for schools in Abia State, especially private and faith-based institutions, to organize multiple “graduation ceremonies” for Kindergarten, Nursery, Basic 6, and Junior Secondary students—an unnecessary culture that imposes heavy financial burdens on parents. Alongside this is the compulsory annual purchase of new textbooks, often dictated by proprietors and teachers in connivance with publishers, thereby rendering well used books not transferable to younger siblings.
This exploitative practice has left many parents struggling financially, with some slipping into debt, bankruptcy, and hardship just to meet school demands. An action which we consider unconscionable.
LEGAL AND POLICY BASIS
The current practices offend the spirit and letters of several extant laws and policies in Nigeria, including:
- Section 18(1) and (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) – which guarantees government’s duty to ensure equal and affordable education opportunities at all levels.
- Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 – which mandates free, compulsory, and universal basic education for every Nigerian child of primary and junior secondary school age, thereby discouraging undue financial exploitation of parents.
- Section 1 of the Child’s Rights Act, 2003 – which places the best interest of the child as the paramount consideration in all actions concerning children, including education.
- Consumer Protection Council Act, 2019 – which protects citizens from unfair, arbitrary, and oppressive trade practices. Forcing parents to buy new textbooks yearly, when old ones are still in circulation and valid, clearly constitutes an unfair practice.
OUR POSITION
CHARS-Africa strongly believes that education should not be commercialized at the expense of parents and guardians. That graduation ceremonies should be reserved only for Primary 6 pupils and SSS 3 students, in line with the 6-3-3-4 system of education. Similarly, textbooks should be standardized and allowed to be in use for at least four consecutive years, to enable siblings and subsequent learners benefit from them.
The Abia State Government, through the Ministry of Education, must issue immediate regulations to:
✓ Abolish graduation ceremonies for creche, kindergarten or nursery, and JSS 3 students.
✓ Mandate standardized textbook lists with a minimum of, at least, four-year usage lifespan.
✓ Establish monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance by both public and private schools.
OUR CALLS
We therefore call on Governor Alex Otti, the Abia State House of Assembly, the State Ministry of Education, the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), civil society organizations, and school proprietors to urgently work together to stop this legalized extortion in our schools.
Education is not meant to be an avenue for exploitation but a right and for public good. The duty of government, as reaffirmed in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, is to ensure the security and welfare of the people. Protecting parents from these exploitative practices is therefore a constitutional obligation, not a favour.
CONCLUSION
As we commend the Imo State Government for setting this precedent, we urge Abia State to rise to the occasion. The time has come to prioritize equity, affordability, and fairness in education. Our children deserve a system that uplifts them, not one that bankrupts their parents.
Signed:
Amaka Biachi, Esq.
For: CHARS-Africa
charsafrica.ng@gmail.com
0915 405 7157
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