- They’re not compelled to pay, they demand for it – NAPPS
Many parents have decried the high fees charged in private schools across the country for the graduation ceremonies of pupils, especially those in preschool and kindergarten classes.
The parents accused the schools of exploiting them, saying that even the pupils for which the parties were usually organised could not really understand the import and significance of such events beyond just having fun and a nice time.
At this time of the year, many schools across the country celebrate the end of the academic year with a graduation. The trend of formal cap-and-gown celebration has expanded, while extra events such as field trips, costume dances and awards ceremonies have become more elaborate as such ceremonies, where kids are handed subject-specific awards and even scholarships, have been turned into profit-making venture by many private schools.
A parent, Mrs. Olamide Kukoyi, whose child attends Divine Heritage Groups of schools in the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos, lamented the high fees charged by the school for the graduation of her daughter into the basic one class.
Kukoyi noted that she had to struggle to pay her child’s school fees, in the first place, while the high fees charged for her graduation had compounded her economic situation.
“My child was told to pay N15,000, which includes fees for a certificate plaque, yearbook and graduation gown. How can they be exploiting parents, who even find it hard to pay the tuition fee? The government must look into this issue as students in public schools are not subjected to such expensive graduation ceremonies,” she said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the Parents’/Teachers’ Association, MacAnthony Nursery and Primary School, Kubwa, Abuja, Mr. Earnest Ogbonaya, said it had become a habit for many private schools to compel parents to pay for unnecessary graduation ceremonies for pre-school and kindergarten pupils, just to make profit.
Ogbonaya said that he was compelled to withdraw his children from two different schools in his neighbourhood due to this exploitative tendency displayed by many private school proprietors.
He, therefore, advised that the regulatory bodies supervising primary education across the states should check the activities of the private primary school owners.
”I don’t believe in such absurd fanfare that these private schools display. I believe graduation ceremonies should be for graduate and post-graduate students in higher institutions and the annoying thing is that some parents also condone this exploitation,” Ogbonaya said.
Parents should blame themselves for trend-Proprietress
The Director of Royal Court Schools, Ojodu Berger, Lagos State, Mrs. Olachi Isunuoya, however, said that although organising graduation ceremonies for pre-school pupils was unnecessary, many parents demand such frivolities.
Isunuoya noted that many school owners were, therefore, usually compelled by both the pupils and their parents to organise such ceremonies in line with what obtained in other schools.
“I feel it is just for fun for them to dance, eat and merry. So, when parents ask school owners, they tend to oblige. But looking at it critically, as an educationist, I don’t think it is necessary,” she said.
The Principal, Phantom College, Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State, Mrs. Halimah Williams, who spoke on the propriety of the trend, said such graduation ceremonies for preschool pupils should have an objective or goals and impact on the participants.
”I think it all depends on the approach you take and if your approach will be a meaningful and enriching experience for your students and their parents, it is good you consider what you believe is in the best interest of your students.
“In most preschools, all the pupils are involved in the graduation celebrations and the graduating students get a certificate each for completing a year in preschool. That is their diploma for completing their preschool experience. The focus is always on the accomplishments the students made throughout the year and the great things that are ahead.
“The graduation ceremony is designed to celebrate those things through relaxed and simple preschool celebrations. And as for the graduation robes, many schools make them wear it because they are beautiful and it makes the graduates feel special. Besides, all preschool age children love dressing up, especially when it comes to celebrations,” she said.
Parents not compelled by schools-NAPPS
The National President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Mr. Oluwatoyin Komolafe, said that parents usually demanded for graduation ceremonies for their preschool children.
Komolafe said that the modern day parent believed that since Basic 6 pupils celebrate the completion of primary education with such funfare, it would not be out of place if preschoolers were given similar treatment at the end of their class.
He added that most schools did not have any other choice than to accede to such requests from parents, who they held in high esteem and whose patronage they would not want to lose, especially when such demands did not negate any of the policies on education.
“You know they always say that customers are kings; so when parents demand for things like this due to the fact that their children want it, we give in to their requests, so long as it is not anti-educational policy,” the NAPPS president said.
Komolafe noted that pupils’ participation in graduation ceremonies had remained optional and not the fees not added to the tuition bill, urging parents not to keep complaining about an optional service.
“Graduation ceremonies should not be made compulsory and because most parents feel compelled by the plight of their children on missing out in the activities, they go out of their way to pay and then complain, which is not the fault of schools,” he said.
Child psychologist’s expert advice
For a Child Psychologist, Dr. Ngozi Arumeh of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile Ife, Osun State, organising formal graduation ceremonies for young children, especially events that involve awards, pupils may look up to external judgment for the value of their efforts to learn thereby, demotivating them academically, and creating a culture of competition in the classroom.
Arumeh noted that although graduation ceremonies may bring schools and families together to build parent-teacher relation in order to support students as they move into higher levels of their academics and celebrate students’ achievements, it contributes to a need in students for constant validation.
“It sets up a dynamic feeling as if they have to keep earning your respect. Also, it is not ideal for young kids to begin to rely on outside signals to judge the worth of their academic work, rather than learning to self-assess how hard they have worked or not. Do they feel like they’ve put solid efforts into learning? Then it’s an accomplishment,” she said.
