Bishop Ezeokafor to Govt, Mission Schools Have Right to Education Grants

By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba

Worried by what was described as government’s poor supports to mission and private schools, the chief shepherd of Awka Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, has again called on the Nigerian Government at all levels to provide mission and other private schools with their long overdue education grants, saying that mission schools have right to Government Education Grants.

Bishop Ezeokafor, who stated this at the 14th Feast/Parents’ Day Celebration of Holy Ghost Academy, Amaokpala, Orumba North L.G.A, Anambra State, noted that the Church and private bodies in school administration, were worthy collaborators in proper education formation of the young ones, and as such ought to be supported by the government with the needed grant in aid.

He averred that the students in mission schools were equally citizens of the Nigerian states and Nigeria, and deserved the same right of their schools being supported with education grant, just like the public schools.

The Catholic prelate, who assured that mission schools were outstanding in school management and administration, noted that mission schools would excel with even 20% of the grant in aid which the government gave to public schools. Bishop Ezeokafor observed that with the grant in aid, the pay of the teachers, who play important role in the all-round proper formation of the children, would be better, and the education system would be the best.

He pointed out that the major academic and moral feats recorded in education were because of the Church’s involvement, and warned that if mission and private schools close up, education would crumble