By Enoma Uwawah
The Edo State Government has rolled out fresh directives to schools across the state, tightening policies on entrepreneurship training, graduation eligibility, and the use of textbooks.
In a circular signed by the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, all Executive Principals and school heads have been instructed to integrate entrepreneurship training into the timetable for Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) students. Trade areas include GSM repairs, satellite/TV antenna installation, CCTV and intercom systems, solar technology, garment making, agriculture and processing, as well as basic digital literacy with IT and robotics. Other areas are plumbing, tiling and floor works, POP (Plaster of Paris) installation, event decoration and management, bakery and confectioners, hairstyling, makeup, and interior design.
The Ministry emphasized that completion of one trade subject is now a prerequisite for students to qualify for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
On graduation, the circular made it clear that only students who have completed the Basic 1-9 and Senior Secondary 3 and have fulfilled all academic, moral, and administrative requirements are permitted to hold modest graduation celebrations. This, the Ministry said is to uphold standards and ensure discipline within the school system.
The Ministry also reiterated its policy on instructional materials, warning that only government-approved textbooks must be recommended and used for teaching and learning across schools. It also gave a clear directive to authors and publishers to desist from including work spaces in any textbook so as to make it possible for younger siblings to make use of their older siblings’ textbooks. Parents are also, not to be coerced into buying books from any school staff. Any deviation from the rules, it added, would attract strict sanctions.
Furthermore, all newly admitted students are required to sign an Undertaking of Good Behaviour, co-signed by their parents or guardians, to be submitted to the Chief Inspector of Education in their Local Government Area within two weeks of resumption.
Dr. Iyamu warned that failure by any school head to fully comply with these directives will attract serious sanctions as determined by the Ministry.