By Huldah Shado
The Niger State House of Assembly has passed a motion urging Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to issue an executive order banning the observance of Marker’s Day, popularly known as “Sign Out” ceremonies, in all public and private secondary and tertiary institutions across the state.
The resolution followed a motion presented on the floor of the House by Hon. Muhammad Sani Idris, who represents the Tafa constituency. Hon. Idris raised concerns over the deteriorating conduct associated with these ceremonies, originally intended to mark the end of academic sessions for final-year students.
According to him, the events have increasingly devolved into platforms for unruly behaviour, moral decadence, and public disturbances. He argued that the celebrations now pose a threat to the educational values of discipline, integrity, and intellectual development that the state aims 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,” Hon. Idris stated during plenary. “What was once a symbol of achievement has become a display of indiscipline that undermines the very goals of our education system.”
The motion received unanimous support from fellow lawmakers, who described it as a timely response to a growing public concern. Several members echoed Idris’s sentiments, citing reports of misconduct, public nuisance, and even criminal behaviour during such events in recent years.
The House, in its resolution, called on the state governor to take immediate executive action to curb the trend by banning such celebrations across schools and institutions in Niger State.
