The Ogun State Government has reiterated that the ban on graduation ceremonies for non-terminal classes remains in force in all approved public and private schools, warning that defaulters will face sanctions.

The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, gave the warning on Wednesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu.

According to the commissioner, the directive applies to every school approved by the state government, regardless of ownership.

He warned that schools found violating the directive by organising graduation ceremonies for pupils in non-terminal classes would be sanctioned.

He stressed that the government remains the regulator of the education sector.

Arigbabu said the policy was introduced following complaints from parents over excessive financial demands and extortion by some schools through annual graduation parties for pupils merely progressing to the next class.

He noted that the government would continue to enforce the ban ahead of the 2026 third-term vacation to protect parents from unnecessary financial burdens.

Speaking on the performance of the education sector under Governor Dapo Abiodun, the commissioner said the administration launched an Education Revitalisation Agenda anchored on six pillars.

He listed the pillars to include curriculum development, school management, technology and innovation, revenue and funding, student welfare, and infrastructure.

He said the government had expanded its flagship school programme to 86 schools, while smart classrooms have been established in 236 of the state's 517 public schools, with plans for further expansion.

According to Arigbabu, the administration has also invested heavily in school infrastructure through the Ogun Rehab initiative, constructing new classrooms and renovating existing academic buildings across the state.

The commissioner added that teachers' welfare had improved considerably, noting that salaries are now paid regularly and that the backlog of promotions inherited by the administration from 2016 had been cleared for teachers and other civil servants.

He further disclosed that Ogun's education reforms have attracted interest from at least five state governments seeking to understudy and replicate the initiatives.

On technology, Arigbabu said Ogun has gained national recognition for innovations such as the Learner Identification Number, which has since been adopted by the Federal Government, as well as OgunLearn, an artificial intelligence-powered teaching and learning platform designed to improve classroom instruction.

He also noted that Ogun currently boasts Nigeria's best teacher, who emerged winner at the state, South-West and national levels.

The commissioner said the government had completely rehabilitated all eight technical colleges in the state, equipping them with modern facilities sourced from the United Kingdom, Turkey and China to strengthen technical and vocational education.

He added that the state is also expanding skills acquisition programmes through the Ogun State Skills Fund and the Ogun Job Centre and Work Hub initiative, while plans are underway to integrate Quranic schools into the state's formal education framework through the Integrated Quranic School (IQS) and Integrated Quranic and Tsangaya School (IQTS) programmes.