Governor Francis Nwizu of Ebonyi state is taking a radical step to improver primary and tertiary education in the state.
As part of the new policy, the state government said 100 First Class and Second Class Students from the state would be sponsored to further their education in any country of their choice.
The state governor also promised to return some primary and secondary school to religious organizations, their original owners. Modalities have been put in place to achieve this, the governor
stated during a Pastoral Visit of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Most Reverend Dr Peter Nworie Chukwu to the Government House Chapel, Ochoudo Centenary City on Sunday.
To concretise the arrangement, the state governor has directed the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to immediately commence the process of handover of the Schools to the Missions.
The governor told the Catholic Bishop that his government is prepared to carry the church along in its programme.
He however warned that his government will not entertain meddlesomeness from religious organizations, who he advised to focus on the spirituality of their members.
The Governor who said he owed his ascension to the highest office in the state to God, discouraged the Church from meddling in politics, saying their primary duty should be to preach salvation to mankind.
He said, “I have always told people that I am not an ordinary person otherwise how can a former bricklayer, conductor and motorcycle mechanic become Governor of your State within a space of ten years
“We are very much badly challenged in the area of Education and we have agreed in Exco that we are going to send 100 First Class and 2nd Class Upper Graduates to Countries of their choice to further their education when they come back they will teach in our Schools.
“We will also send 300 persons to do their Masters in any Nigeria Higher Institutions of their choice
“We have a lot of challenges in the Education sector and as far as I am concerned we are going to get it back by having quality teachers in Primary and Secondary Schools.
“We won’t hesitate, if the Catholic Church is ready to take back their Schools we are ready and not only the Catholic Church, but every other Churches whose Schools were taken over.
“I am happy that my Lord Bishop said he is going to support me, if I have physical support and now spiritual support, there is no reason I will not perform and I am very sure I am going to perform.
Bishop Chukwu had earlier promised the governor his support in the quest to advance the cause of education in the state.
The Bishop said “We are going to cooperate with the Governor to turn the story around for Ebonyi State so that in no distant time Ebonyi will be a shining example in entire Nigeria.
“I challenge you to accomplish great things for our people because if you do so, your name will go down in history as a great Leader of our time.
“In the area of Education, the Church is ready to work with the Government, those Schools formerly owned by the Catholic Church that were forcefully taken away from us after the Civil War, the Governor knows our feelings about that.”
Not a few stares in the country have returned schools formerly under their control to religious organizations in the country, particularly those owned by the church, in order to improve the education system at that level.
