Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has given official approval for the return of schools originally owned by missionary organisations in the state.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, after a meeting between Governor Okpebholo and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Most Rev. Gabriel Dunia, held at the Government House in Benin City.
According to the statement, the government will set up a dedicated committee to identify specific schools to be handed back to their original missionary proprietors. However, schools currently undergoing renovation or infrastructure upgrades by the state will remain under government supervision until completion.
Among the institutions likely to be affected by this landmark policy are renowned schools 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.
The move comes decades after missionary primary and secondary schools were taken over by government during the 1970s under a nationwide policy.
Speaking during the meeting, Bishop Dunia expressed gratitude to the Okpebholo-led administration for taking a bold step previous governments had consistently overlooked, despite repeated appeals. He noted that the schools held not only academic value but were also instrumental in instilling moral discipline, good character, and values that shaped generations of Edo citizens.
He stressed the strategic role of these institutions in the intellectual and moral upbringing of children, describing their return as a timely intervention to revive quality education and nurture a more disciplined society.
Governor Okpebholo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to collaborating with religious institutions in advancing education, values-based learning, and community development across the state.
