Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has announced his administration’s commitment to returning schools to missionary organizations, signaling a potential shift from the previous administration’s more cautious approach. The Governor stated that a committee will soon be established to identify specific schools suitable for handover. This announcement was made during a visit from Gabriel Dunia, the Catholic Bishop of Auchi, who reiterated the Church’s long-standing request for the return of its educational institutions.
Governor Okpebholo clarified that schools currently undergoing renovation by the state government will remain under its supervision until the rehabilitation work is completed. This suggests a phased approach to the handover process.
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The issue of returning schools to missionary organizations has been a topic of discussion in Edo State for some time. Bishop Dunia emphasized the importance of these schools for both academic excellence and the moral upbringing of students. While former Governor Godwin Obaseki had also expressed his intention to return schools to missionaries, his administration had adopted a more deliberate pace, citing the need to ensure affordable school fees for all students. Religious leaders, like the United Baptist Church Prelate, had previously appealed to the government to return their schools, highlighting the dilapidated state of some institutions that were formerly under church management.
