Transfer of Edo Schools to Catholic Mission Raises Controversy

Edo state education stakeholders have kicked against the handover of four public schools to the Catholic church.

Recall that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, had last week approved the takeover of the St. Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School, Benin City, Annunciation Catholic College (ACC), Irua, St. Angelas Girls Grammar School, Uzairue, and Obaseki Primary School (Formerly St Patrick’s Primary Schoo), Aiport Road, to the Catholic church.

The government, according to a statement by the State Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, said the decision is in recognition of the Catholic Mission’s contributions to the growth and advancement of education in the State.

“All students currently enrolled in these schools must be retained without discrimination. These students should be afforded quality education in line with modern standards, coupled with the moral values and discipline for which the Catholic Mission is renowned,” the statement said. Reacting to the development, a civil rights activist and coordinator of Edo State Civil Society Organisation (EDOSCO), Omobude Agho, accused the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, of not considering the ordinary people and their children or understanding the interests of Edo people. He noted that once the missionary takes over the schools, they become private in operation, and the children of the poor and downtrodden attending those schools will lose the right to quality education as they will not be able to afford the fees.

Those schools were not built with Church money, but by the communities, which donated land and supported the building of the school infrastructure because they wanted schools in their communities, so those schools should be public continuously. “This would affect the children of the less privileged attending those schools. It is pathetic that we have a government that is thinking this way,” Agho said.