The Edo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebholo, has approved the return of schools to missionary organizations in the state. This 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.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua, in a statement, said the Governor committed to establishing a committee to identify the specific schools that will be handed over. “The Governor clarified that any of the affected schools currently undergoing renovation by the State Government would remain under its supervision until their completion,” Fred Itua said.

Fred Itua further disclosed that among the schools expected to be affected by this 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.

Bishop Dunia underscored the strategic importance of these educational institutions to the Catholic mission, emphasizing their role not only in the intellectual formation of children but also in fostering “ideal moral character, which constitutes the bedrock of good society.” The move comes decades after the civil government forcefully took over Catholic primary and secondary schools in the 1970s.

Fred Itua said the approval marks a significant step towards addressing long-standing grievances and potentially enhancing educational standards through faith-based initiatives in Edo State. This decision is seen as a major development in the state’s education sector, with potential benefits for students and the community at large.