In a significant policy shift, Governor Monday Okpebholo has approved the return of schools to the original owners – missionary organisations – in Edo State.
The landmark decision was announced following a meeting between the governor and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Gabriel G. Dunia, on Monday, in Government House, Benin City, Edo State capital.
Governor Okpebholo 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 their completion.
Among the schools expected to be affected by the new policy are prominent 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 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.
Bishop Dunia 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.”
This approval marks a significant step towards addressing long-standing grievances and potentially enhancing educational standards through faith-based initiatives in Edo State.
