The Gombe State Government has announced a ban on the compulsory yearly purchase of non-reusable textbooks and customised notebooks in private schools across the state.
According to Daily Trust, this decision was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Quality Assurance at the State Ministry of Education, Saidu Dauda Gadam.
According to the statement, the practice of producing textbooks with built-in worksheets or answer spaces—which prevents their reuse by other learners—has been deemed a burden on parents and a source of unnecessary waste.
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The ministry directed that, effective from September 15, 2026, all schools in the state must provide separate optional workbooks or exercise books for students’ individual exercises. The main textbooks, however, must remain reusable in accordance with the new Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) curriculum.
The statement further revealed that the ministry had observed that some private schools compel parents and guardians to purchase learning materials exclusively from the schools.
“While any school that wishes to do so, such a request will be made open for the parents and guardians to buy either at the school or at the market. Such materials include textbooks, uniforms, writing materials among others,” the statement noted.
Gadam also disclosed that the state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aishatu Umar Maigari, has banned sign-out ceremonies in both public and private schools. She stated that such ceremonies will now be limited strictly to students completing Primary Six, JSS III, and SSS III.
“Also, sign-out culture where a growing trend of unruly and unsafe conduct by students during marker day celebration are exhibited in both public and private schools which has become a source of concern to the government, henceforth such practices remain banned in all schools,” part of the statement read.
The ministry has additionally placed a temporary suspension on the registration and establishment of new private, community, and faith-based schools in the state. It advised all existing schools that have yet to complete their registration, obtain provisional approval, or collect final certificates to do so before October 31, 2025.
The statement further stressed that all academic activities in private schools must comply with government policies, including the use of the new curriculum, skills development initiatives, and anti-bullying measures.
It also directed all private senior secondary schools without recognised external examination centres—such as WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS—to report to the ministry for guidance.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring quality, accessible, and affordable education across Gombe State.
