Edo: Gov Okpebholo Commences School Handover to Catholic Mission

The Edo State Government has begun the formal process of transferring public schools back to their original missionary owners, starting with the Catholic Mission, despite protests from education stakeholders and religious groups.

This move was confirmed by Governor Monday Okpebholo during a meeting with Bishop Gabriel Dunia of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi at the Government House on June 16, 2025. At the meeting, he disclosed that eight schools in Edo North Senatorial District would be the first to be handed over.

Less than two weeks later, on June 26, Governor Okpebholo expanded the scope by announcing an additional 28 schools across Edo Central and Edo South senatorial districts, raising the total number of affected institutions to 36.

On Friday, June 27, 2025, the handover officially commenced with the transfer of St. Maria Goretti College, an all-girls institution in Benin City, to the Catholic Mission. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Education, with the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, and representatives of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin in attendance.

Governor Okpebholo described the decision as part of a broader education reform agenda intended to restore both academic excellence and moral discipline in public schools.

“St. Maria Goretti College has a long-standing legacy of raising generations of disciplined, high-achieving Nigerian women. We believe the Catholic Mission is best positioned to revive that legacy,” he stated.

The school, named after a Catholic saint known for purity and courage, has been recognized for its history of grooming distinguished alumnae.

However, the move has not gone without criticism. Groups such as the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and several Muslim organizations have condemned the policy, warning that it could lead to religious imbalance and exclusion in the state’s education system.

The state government has yet to address these concerns publicly as the handover process continues.