Niger Students, Parents Fume over Proposed Ban on Sign-Out, Marker’s Day

The Niger State House of Assembly has stirred controversy after urging Governor Umaru Bago to issue an executive order banning sign-out celebrations and Marker’s Day activities across all public and private secondary and tertiary institutions in the state.

The resolution, adopted during a recent plenary session, followed a motion by Hon. Muhammad Idris, representing Tafa Constituency, who condemned what he described as the decline of these events into acts of misconduct. Once a harmless farewell tradition for graduating students, Idris said, the celebrations have devolved into unruly behaviour that undermines the moral and academic values the state’s education system is meant to uphold.

“The ongoing trend of signing out from schools, which is presumably intended to be a celebration by final-year students, has recently been characterised by unruly behaviour and misconduct,” he told lawmakers.

The motion received unanimous backing, with Deputy Speaker Afiniki Dauda, who presided over the session, pledging to work with the governor and the Ministry of Education to ensure swift enforcement if the ban is approved.

However, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from residents and social media users, who branded it as unnecessary, heavy-handed, and a diversion from more pressing governance issues. Some argued that the move disregards cultural traditions, while others warned of its economic impact on small-scale traders—particularly women—who depend on the sale of markers and other celebratory items during graduation season.

“What will happen to marker sellers? How will they feed their families?” one resident asked.

A parent from Minna also defended the practice:

“I do not see anything wrong with students celebrating and signing out during their graduation day. It gives them so much joy.”

Others accused the Assembly of misplaced priorities, urging lawmakers to regulate rather than abolish the events.

“Instead of banning sign-out celebrations, why not manage them responsibly? Culture and joy should not be erased,” one commenter posted.

The state government has yet to issue an official directive, but the debate continues to gain momentum, with civil society organisations and student unions expected to make formal responses in the coming days.