BENUE STATE HANDOVER SCHOOLS
BENUE STATE HANDOVER SCHOOLS
Erdoo Due
Following the postponement of the earlier scheduled date of August 1st 2020 for the official handover of grant aided schools to original owners, members of the public as well as proprietors and principal officers of schools have continued to express anxiety over the new date.
Speaking on the issue, Rev. Canon Emmanuel Okonkwo, the Education Secretary Anglican Diocese of Makurdi said “For me, this is a welcomed development because the lost glory of the Anglican schools will be restored through improved discipline and the general education of the Benue Child. There is just one Government grant aided Anglican school in Makurdi Diocese amidst 9 schools. Among all these schools, the standard of the grant aided seem to be more shaky, this is because the TSB staff of this school are really adamant and difficult to discipline with the notion that, the Mission is not responsible for their salaries so, their discipline should not come from the mission but the government. Constituting about 40% of the staff strength has an adverse effect on the students. Worst is that these teachers take most of the core subjects as compared to PTA and those staff employed by the Mission. It will be much better if these schools are no longer grant aided by the government. The maintenance levies, sports, quality control workshop, Biometrics and more paid to the government by schools will be contained, thus improving the financial and infrastructural status of these schools.”
On quality of education, the Rev. Canon said “the handover will have an impact on parents, students and teachers. The parents will get better education for their children though at a higher cost. The students who are at the receiving end should be rest assured that, this is in their best interest, because quality and moral discipline will be maximized by mission schools. The government on the other hand has taken a laudable decision to hand over these schools to the owners however this process should be seamless and in the best interest of all stakeholders and the good people of Benue State at large.”
For the Catholic Diocese Makurdi, Very Rev. Fr. Terungwa Tor said there are seven (7) government grant aided catholic schools within the diocese including Mount Saint Gabriel’s, Our lady of Mount Carmel College, Mount Saint Michael’s and so on however, since the military decree for the handover of schools to government, the quality of education in these missionary schools has been thwarted: “For the Catholic Diocese, this is a wish come true, the yearn for restoration in the catholic education sector has lingered on and finally it may come to pass, although we seek a whole recovery, the government wish to keep the primary schools, a negotiation we have not seconded to, with the handover of schools so many challenges confronting the missionary schools will be relieved and stakeholders given better consideration, this will also pave way for employment opportunities. However this should be done quickly enough.”
Rev. Tor further said, “The handover as proposed by the government should be done in accordance with the enlistment on the ‘white paper’ which means it will take a gradual process rather than withdraw TSB staff at once from these schools. Also the grants which are supposed to accompany schools despite the handover should be made provision for and this is where I call on the government to provide enabling environment where the Benue child will be trained better and more morals incorporated while parents enjoy good value for their money at affordable rate.”
The government of Benue State through the Ministry of Education has announced the official handover of grant aided secondary schools in the state. These schools are mostly faith based and private institutions. According to the Ministry, this move is not unconnected with improving quality of the learning/teaching environment occasioned by 21st century realities. However, the major stakeholders which are faith based schools are saying that the policy be implemented with immediacy.
