The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, has endorsed the state government’s policy abolishing graduation ceremonies for nursery, primary and junior secondary schools, while adopting send-off celebrations for certificate classes.
The State Chairman of NAPPS, Sir Raymond Ibukho, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in his office in Uyo. Ibukho explained that the Commissioner for Education had clarified that send-off ceremonies should be restricted to certificate classes only. He added that school authorities have also been directed not to impose levies on students who are not participating in the send-off celebrations.
According to him, the directive prompted the association to notify proprietors, proprietresses, school principals and headteachers across the state to discontinue graduation ceremonies and embrace the new policy of organising send-off celebrations exclusively for certificate classes.
The NAPPS chairman commended Governor Umo Eno’s administration for its commitment to education through the implementation of free and compulsory basic education, payment of WAEC and NECO examination fees for public school students, and the construction of model schools across the state.
He described the governor as an education-friendly leader and expressed the association’s support for his administration. He also appealed to the state government to extend the payment of WAEC and NECO examination fees to students in private schools, noting that they are also indigenes and residents of Akwa Ibom State.
Ibukho further appealed to the government to consider providing grants to private schools to enhance quality education. He noted that NAPPS regularly organises seminars, workshops, mathematics quizzes, debates and teachers’ capacity-building programmes aimed at improving educational standards in the state.
In a related development, the NAPPS chairman and members of his executive committee participated in the 2026 Ibom Mathematics Quiz Competition organised for private secondary schools in the state. Speaking at the event, Sir Raymond Ibukho urged participating students to approach the competition with confidence, determination and integrity, assuring them that the exercise would be conducted fairly and transparently.
“There will be no favouritism. The panel of judges will ensure that justice prevails and that the best-performing schools emerge victorious based solely on merit,” he said. Also speaking, the Chairman of NAPPS, Uyo Chapter, Pastor William Joseph, said students from various private schools across the state were selected to participate in the competition, with the overall winner expected to represent Akwa Ibom State at the national level.
He commended the state government for creating an enabling environment for the competition to thrive, adding that collaboration between the government and private school operators would continue to strengthen the education sector. He expressed optimism that future editions of the competition would be even more successful.