KADUNA CRACKS DOWN ON COSTLY GRADUATIONS, BANS UNRULY ‘SIGN-OUT’ CULTURE IN SCHOOLS

In a sweeping reform to sanitize the education system, the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQAA) has outlawed exploitative practices that have long burdened parents and fueled indiscipline among students.

The new directive, signed by the Director-General, Prof. Usman Abubakar Zaria, prohibits class-by-class graduation ceremonies, which the authority described as needless and financially draining. Going forward, graduation will only be permitted at the JSS 3 and SS 3 exit points—and even then, participation and payments must remain strictly voluntary.

To curb abuse, schools seeking to introduce any levies must secure KSSQAA approval at least four weeks in advance, backed by clear evidence of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) consent.
In what many see as a bold cultural shift, the authority also banned the notorious ‘sign-out’ culture, where graduating students often take to the streets in paint-smeared clothes, parading in unruly and sometimes indecent displays. Schools are now mandated to organize supervised alternatives such as farewell assemblies, talent exhibitions, or mentorship sessions.

Parents have also been granted relief with the prohibition of consumable textbooks with built-in worksheets, which deny reusability and inflate costs. From September 2026, publishers must separate workbooks from reusable textbooks to ease financial pressure on families.

On school fees, KSSQAA issued a stern warning to proprietors against arbitrary hikes or unauthorized institutional upgrades. Any changes must pass through a rigorous approval process requiring PTA backing, enrollment data, and formal documentation. Failure to comply, the agency warned, will attract “strict sanctions.”
Prof. Zaria emphasized that the reforms align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on inclusive and equitable quality education. He urged proprietors, administrators, and parents to support the new policies, stressing that education in Kaduna must remain both affordable and accessible.

“These measures are not meant to stifle schools,” Prof. Zaria declared, “but to protect parents from exploitation and to restore sanity, dignity, and focus to the learning process.”