…Sign-Out graduation ceremony is causing a lot of stress and embarrassment to parents.
AWKA, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has strongly condemned extreme sign-out practices by students during graduation ceremonies, saying it does not align with Nigeria’s core values.
It therefore seeks re-orientation of the country’s values that will focus on National Values and campaigns against extreme graduation practices.
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu stated this in Awka while briefing newsmen on the ongoing National Civic Engagement Drive in Anambra State.
He noted that Signing-Out graduation ceremony is causing a lot of stress and embarrassment to parents, including financial bottlenecks and moral decadence associated with it, hence the need to ban it.
“Some states have banned it, so Anambra State should do likewise. Students are graduating and parents are paying up to N250,000. Under secondary school level, you see them signing out on their bodies; girls being half naked and people are signing on their neck, breast and thighs. Where do they learn it from?
“We shouldn’t do things that bring about moral decadence. Now a secondary school student is graduating, without seeing his results, ether passed or failed, but has resorted to immoral signing out ceremony. I don’t know where they brought nudity into the ceremony that was originally done with only white shirt on the graduands. Graduation is not a nudity stunt, wherever they borrowed it from, we should discourage it from them,” the NOA DG warned.
He expressed worry that thep ceremony has gone nude such that female secondary school graduands resort to immoral signings on their breast, thighs and neck contrary to the norms of the country.
“The Nigerian Identity and National Symbols Sensitisation will focus on campaigns aimed at familiarising the public with the current National Anthem, Unity and Patriotism campaigns. These campaigns will also promote adherence to right attitude towards National Symbols- The Flag, the Naira, the Nigerian Passport among others.
“The Armed Forces are deploying strategies aimed at tackling our diverse security challenges, some of the current strategies include the deployment of drones, armoured vehicles, surveillance technologies, over 15,000 new security personnel have been deployed nationwide.
“It is our intention that in all the States we will be carrying out the security awareness campaign, we will reach no less than 3 million Nigerians per State through media Engagement, markets and Motor Park rallies, Town Hall meetings, advocacy Visits to Traditional and Religious Leaders, Road shows and Community Engagements.
Earlier, the State Director, Mr Edozie Ajaegbu said the event will desolve to stakeholders conference involving traditional rulers, middle-class among others to address the issue above.
Responding, Barr Ifeoma Chijioke, Deputy-Director, Human Resources Management, NOA appreciated the DG for coming to Anambra to torch the five thematic areas, assuring him that Anambra are cuing in into the National programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Five thematic Areas are National Enlightenment of Government policies, programmes, and activities; Flood mitigation and Disaster preparedness; Nigeria identity project and National symbols campaign; National Security Awareness and National Values and Re-Orientation for Students against Extreme Sign Out of practices.
