The government of Oyo State has banned sign-out celebrations for both private and public secondary school students in the state.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, disclosed this at the pre-school resumption meeting of public schools held on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan.
According to the commissioner, the so-called “signing out” celebrations by final-year students have devolved into displays of indecency and misconduct.
“These activities are now officially banned in all public and private schools in Oyo State. This decision follows numerous reports of harassment, violence, and public disturbance associated with such events,” the commissioner said.
Similarly, the commissioner announced that the use of mobile phones by students in public schools remains strictly prohibited.
According to him, these devices pose significant distractions and facilitate access to non-educational content, potentially leading to cyberbullying and other misconduct.
Meanwhile, with the development, Oyo state joined the league of states that have recently banned extravagant “sign-out” and graduation celebrations over concerns about morality, safety, and excessive spending.
It started in Jigawa on July 30, 2025, where authorities banned sign-out celebrations for senior secondary students, saying the events often spark unruly behaviour and clash with Islamic values. Imo, Ondo, Edo, and Kogi States quickly followed with similar measures, each citing reasons ranging from safety and moral concerns to the heavy financial burden placed on parents.
In Kogi, officials went a step further by replacing graduation ceremonies with annual “speech and prize-giving days,” stressing that graduation should only be marked at the end of Senior Secondary School 3, if at all. Education stakeholders argue the crackdown is needed to curb excesses like shirt-spraying, street parades, and property damage.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has also thrown its weight behind the move, condemning indecent practices tied to the tradition.
“They write on the laps of their colleagues, they write on the breasts of their colleagues. This is against national values,” an NOA representative said.
Officials insist the reforms are not about denying students recognition but about restoring discipline, cutting unnecessary costs, and steering school celebrations back toward academic excellence and cultural values.
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