The Network of African Christian Journalists NACJOURN has commended the governor of Ondo state on his determination to return all private schools in the State to their original owners before they were taken over by Federal Government sometime in the 1970s.
The Network said ‘the taking of schools in the 1970s has landed both the schools and governments in more significant troubles than they were meant to solve. In a world of dwindling finance and poor economy, it was a wrong move for the Federal Government under General Olusegun Obasanjo to have contemplated and enforced the takeover because 40 years after, the purpose for the takeover has not been met, the schools have dwindled almost beyond repairs, the exercise has divided the nation badly, causing religious suspicion and altercations, leaving sorrows, tears and blood in its trails in many states of Nigeria.
In a press statement signed by the President of the Network of African Christian Journalists, Dr. Adebola Adewara and the Secretary, Mr. Dayo Emmanuel, the Network said that secondary schools in Nigeria today have become caricatures of what they should be. “Many of these schools are now producing hooligans who beat their teachers and pass examinations through dirty means mainly because there is no adequate supervision from their owners, the Governments.
‘State governments are over-burdened already. They cannot pay teachers’ salaries nor equip their schools with modern science laboratories. Most secondary schools have no sporting activities like Inter-house sports. Schools are currently at the mercy of parent/teachers’ associations and old students’ associations. Secondary school education is in suspended animation in many states of the federation. These states need to shed weight so they can live.’
‘In many schools across the country, Alumni Associations, Parents Teachers Associations and host communities now contribute to pay teachers’ salaries as well as upgrade infrastructure, so what is left as the Government’s responsibility?
Many of these PTAs and alumni are gradually getting tired. Should Government continue to deceive themselves by still forcing these schools on themselves when they cannot even pay salaries and pensions?
NACJOURN says, ‘it is within this matrix that we congratulate state governments like Lagos, Ondo and many more who are pragmatic enough to return private schools to their owners so that state governments could be free to use their meagre resources on other projects that would benefit everyone in the states.’
The Network cautions religious bodies or organisations that criticise this development. “Individuals or organisations that feel returning these schools to their owners would not serve their interests are advised to be pragmatic and see beyond their narrow motives and perspectives. They are free to establish their schools. ‘We remind them that the schools taken over in the 1970s and now to be returned to their owners are not only Christian mission schools. Islamic schools, also taken over, would be returned. Their proprietors would be free to take care of them in free conscience.
‘We, therefore, ask all and sundry to embrace this development in Ondo state and encourage all states governments to emulate the State so that we can revive secondary education, which is the basis and foundation of the development of this country.
