Sept. 4, 2025
Ebonyi Government has announced a new education policy aimed at reforming the school system in line with Gov. Francis Nwifuru’s “People’s Charter of Needs” agenda.
He said the policy sought to standardise teaching and learning across public, private and faith-based schools and to strengthen the quality of education in the state.
According to him, all schools, whether government or privately owned, must adopt government-approved textbooks, which will remain in use for four years before review.
“The government has also ordered the immediate closure of all unapproved and unqualified faith-based and private schools.
“Parents are directed to transfer their wards to government-approved schools,” Ilang said.
He explained that the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) would henceforth be a mandatory requirement for admission into secondary schools, while transferred students must present certificates from their previous schools.
The commissioner also announced that grading of students would no longer be based on positions, except for first, second and third.
Other students, he said, would be graded on a pass or fail basis, adding that any student who failed promotion examinations must repeat the class.
He said that government had also banned graduation parties for pupils in kindergarten, nursery and primary six, stressing that only pupils completing junior secondary (JSS3) and senior secondary (SS3) levels would henceforth be allowed to graduate.
Ilang noted that to encourage continuity and reduce costs, pupils were prohibited from writing inside textbooks so that younger siblings could reuse them.
The commissioner also said that the government had introduced entrepreneurship and skills acquisition into the school curriculum as compulsory subjects.
“Graduating students at both the basic and senior secondary levels must obtain certificates in skill acquisition and entrepreneurship,” he said.
He added that compulsory after-school lessons had been banned statewide, except where parents, teachers or school managers mutually agree.
“All principals and school administrators are directed to comply strictly with these policies with immediate effect,” Ilang stated.
