Four Years Is Not Four Days: Students Push Back as Parliament Bans Sign-Outs

For many graduating students, the final day of examinations is more than putting down their pens. It is a chance to celebrate years of hard work, sacrifices and friendships with classmates, family and friends.

But in Sierra Leone, that moment of celebration is now at the centre of a national debate after Parliament voted to ban sign-out activities in schools and colleges.

On November 5th 2026, Parliament unanimously adopted a motion moved by Hon. Bashiru Silikie, calling for a ban on “all sign-out activities in schools and colleges.”

Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara told lawmakers that the celebrations were organised by individual students rather than the educational institutions themselves. Following the decision, Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas directed the Clerk of Parliament to inform the ministries responsible for basic and higher education.

More Than Just A Celebration

For Davlyn V., 25, a final-year graduating student at Milton Margai Technical College, sign-out represents the journey behind the achievement.

“To me, sign-out is more than just a celebration. It represents an important academic journey, the sacrifices made, sleepless nights, the challenges overcome and the achievements earned,” she said.

Having taken part in and attended sign-out celebrations as a member of the Class of 2026, Davlyn describes the occasion as a memorable milestone. It gives students the opportunity to appreciate how far they have come. She believes the classes of 2027 and 2028 will look forward to it too.

Students celebrating their graduation sign-out milestone together.

While serving as the Public Relations Officer of the Faculty of Communication, Media and Information Studies, he helped organise a sign-out ceremony for graduating students. He remembers watching them celebrate with friends and family after four years of academic struggle.

“Four years is not four days,” Festus said. He believes students deserve “a day of merriment, a day of reflection” after working hard to reach that stage of their education.

He is also looking forward to celebrating his own achievement and inviting family and friends to share the moment with him.

For Deborah K., 24, also a Fourah Bay College student class of 2026, taking part in a sign-out celebration is an experience she remembers fondly.

“It was an awesome feeling, seeing how happy the students were. We made videos and celebrated. It was a thrilling feeling, a moment of fulfilment,” she said.

When Celebration Becomes Excessive

Despite the sentimental value students attach to sign-out, some acknowledge that the celebrations have grown beyond their original purpose.

Deborah admits that they have become excessive in some cases. She points to expensive gift hampers, flowers and even cars presented to students. She says the celebrations can sometimes feel intimidating, and the noise and use of loudspeakers have also become concerns.

Image of past students celebrating with money and gifts.

Davlyn shares this view. She says some students feel pressured to buy expensive outfits, organise parties and compete with others.

“I believe it should be about celebration and achievements, not showing off wealth,” she said.

However, both students believe these problems could be addressed through reasonable guidelines rather than a complete ban.

Festus also acknowledges complaints that some celebrations disrupt examinations and other academic activities. But he argues that institutions could have introduced designated venues and specific days for final-year students to celebrate.

He suggests that tertiary institutions set aside a day for sign-out activities and organise them at approved locations, such as university halls or amphitheatre. This, he believes, would prevent celebrations from disturbing other students. For him, the activities should be controlled, not completely stopped.

How Will Celebrations Look Like Going Forward?

Students showing excitement at their sign-out.

With Parliament’s decision, questions remain about how students will respond if celebrations can no longer take place on school premises.

Davlyn believes some students will simply find alternative locations, such as halls and other venues, where they can celebrate with family and friends. She warns that this could make the celebrations harder to supervise.

Festus also expects some students to move their celebrations to beaches and other locations. However, he says he would not personally attend celebrations held away from campus.

Davlyn believes Parliament should have considered students’ emotional attachment to the tradition and their financial circumstances. She also believes students, school authorities, parents and other stakeholders should have been consulted before the decision was made. Festus similarly questions whether students were consulted before the motion was passed.

A Divided Public Reaction

The debate has also played out on social media, where members of the public have expressed different views on Parliament’s decision.

Some have welcomed the ban, particularly because of the financial pressure sign-out celebrations can place on parents and sponsors.

Commenting on Afriradios’ Facebook post, Abdulkarim Kallon  said that “It’s a laudable decision given that many students are using the ceremony as a way of extorting money from their parents and sponsors, thereby levying a compounding and unnecessary financial burden on them.”

Olubumi Ganu, commenting on I.B Blog Online TV’s post, also welcomed the decision. “I think the idea of it is to create a program where students can celebrate exit at a particular endpoint within the academic layers. For e.g., upon completion of the WASSSCE or after the exams or a Bachelor’s degree.” 

A glimpse of how the past sign-out celebration went.

On Afriradios’ post, Mamadu Bah argued that the real issue was not students wanting to celebrate, but when celebrations became excessive, competitive or disruptive. 

“A student who has struggled for years to reach their final examination deserves to have a memorable moment. Banning isn’t the right way, there should be another alternative,” Bah said.

Concerns Over Constitutional Rights & Alternatives

Andrew Bangura, commenting on Truth Media’s post, argued that the Constitution guarantees freedom of association. He suggested that, “students should be allowed to celebrate outside school compounds and campuses.”

Other commenters questioned Parliament’s priorities. Osman Khalil, writing on AYV News’ post, said “I am not a supporter of sign-out activities, but I want to ask how they have affected students’ academic performance?” He argued that the government should pay greater attention to the everyday challenges facing ordinary people. 

The reactions reflect a wider disagreement over where to draw the line between allowing students to celebrate their achievements and ensuring that those celebrations do not become disruptive or financially burdensome.

What Happens Next?

With Parliament’s decision now passed, questions remain about how the ban will be implemented, whether alternative arrangements will be considered and how students and other affected stakeholders will be involved in the process.

For most students, the question is simple: why ban sign-out when there are other pressing issues facing the country?

Others ask: if the concerns are excessive spending, indiscipline and safety, why not introduce strict regulations and proper supervision before imposing a complete ban?

For students preparing to complete their academic journeys in the coming years, the answers will determine whether a tradition they have looked forward to will disappear or simply take a different form.