The Ebonyi State government will return all mission schools to their original owners in December, the governor said. Francis Nwifuru promised in Abakaliki on Sunday.
Mr Nwifuru made the promise during a pastoral visit to him by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Most Reverend Peter Nworie.
The governor acknowledged that the Catholic Church and others acted tactically to improve the quality of education in the state.
He ordered the Commissioner of Primary and Secondary Education, the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Justice to begin the process of returning schools to the missions.
“We are very challenged in the area of education.
“We agreed in a cabinet meeting to send 100 first and second class upper division graduates to countries of their choice to continue their education.
“We will also sponsor 300 individuals to study for their Masters degrees at Nigerian higher education institutions of their choice.
“We will not doubt whether the Catholic Church or other missions are willing to recover the schools that were taken over by the government,” said the governor.
He previously congratulated the bishop for the visit and for blessing the congregation at the Government House Chapel.
Nwifuru assured that he is willing to incorporate the churches into his administration.
Earlier, Nworie said the church was ready to work with the government to improve teaching and learning in Ebonyi State.
“Those schools were taken from us by force after the Civil War. The governor knows our feelings on this,’ he said.
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The cleric also expressed the willingness of the Church under his leadership to support the governor in achieving his goals for the state.
He appreciated Mr Nwifuru for the positive steps taken so far by his administration.
He also asked members of the government cabinet to extend their full support to the governor.
“If there is a failure in your area, there is a failure in the entire government because the success of any cabinet member is the success of the governor and the success of the entire government.
“Today’s reading is an invitation to all members of the current government to assist the governor in achieving his goals for the state,” Nworie said.
(YAYA)
