From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the return of schools to missionary organisations in the state.
The decision was announced after a meeting between the Governor and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Gabriel G. Dunia, in Government House, Benin City, yesterday. Okpebholo is committed to establishing a committee to identify the specific schools that will be handed over. He clarified that any of the affected schools currently undergoing renovation by the state government would remain under its supervision until completion.
Among the schools expected to be affected by the policy are institutions such as Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi; St. Angela’s Grammar School, Uzairue; St. John Grammar School, Fugar; St. Peter’s Grammar School, Agenebode; St. James’s Grammar School, Afuze; St. Joseph College, Otuo; St. Mary Grammar School, Eme-Ora; and St. Aloysius Gonzaga Grammar School, Ososo.
The move comes decades after the civil government forcefully took over Catholic primary and secondary schools in the 1970s.
Bishop Dunia revealed that despite persistent appeals to previous administrations, the state government had not positively responded to the Church’s requests for the return of their institutions until now. He underscored the strategic importance of these educational institutions to the Catholic mission, emphasising their role not only in the intellectual formation of children but also in fostering ideal moral character, which constitute the bedrock of good society.
The approval marks a significant step towards addressing long-standing grievances and potentially enhancing educational standards through faith-based initiatives in Edo State.