The Edo State Government has officially started transferring public schools to the Catholic Mission, despite strong opposition from stakeholders in the education sector.
The move follows an announcement by Governor Monday Okpebholo during a meeting with Bishop Gabriel Dunia of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi on June 16, 2025, where he disclosed plans to return schools to their original missionary owners.
Initially, eight schools in the Edo North senatorial district were listed for handover. However, in a swift expansion of the policy, the governor named an additional 28 schools across Edo Central and Edo South on June 26, bringing the total to 36.
Just three days later, on June 28, the administration officially began the process by handing over St. Maria Goretti College, an all-girls secondary school in Benin City, to the Catholic Mission.
Governor Okpebholo described the move as part of his government’s broader education reforms aimed at enhancing academic performance and moral standards in public schools. The handover ceremony was held at the Ministry of Education, with the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, and representatives of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin in attendance.
St. Maria Goretti College, named after the revered Catholic saint, has a long-standing reputation for discipline and academic excellence. The school has produced generations of notable Nigerian women, shaped by its strong ethical foundation.
While the government insists the policy will improve education quality, critics, including teachers’ unions and civil society groups, have raised concerns over potential religious influence, access restrictions, and the fate of non-Catholic students and staff. The state has yet to provide detailed guidelines on how the transition to Catholic Mission will be managed, leaving many stakeholders apprehensive about the policy’s long-term implications.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
