Abuja, 26 January, 2025 / 10:00 pm (ACI Africa).
The former Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has blamed the failures in the Nigerian education system to the taking over of Catholic schools and other mission schools in the West African nation.
In an interview with ACI Africa on Friday, January 24 on the sidelines of a national quiz competition that was organized by Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja to commemorate the 2025 International Day for Education, Ambassador Martin Ehoeghian Uhomoibhi described the government’s decision to take over mission schools as a significant misstep.
“When the schools were taken over, they lost direction. Many lacked the resources both material and human to maintain the standards set by the missionaries. This decision caused severe harm to the educational system, which we are still grappling with today,” Ambassador Uhomoibhi told ACI Africa.
He added, “The government should offer scholarships and build schools instead of taking over institutions they cannot manage. Education must be rooted in integrity, fear of God, and love of humanity.”
“The biggest tragedy that has befallen our nation in the area of education is the taking over of Catholic Schools by the Nigerian Government,” the Nigerian Diplomat said.
