Most Reverend Adewale Martins on Wednesday urged all tiers of government to collaborate with missions and private schools to bring the desired effect of education on Nigerian children.
Martins, Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, made the call at the Blessing of Maria Mater Christi Schools Chapel, Rev. Sisters Convent and Commissioning of a Jamb CBT Centre in Lagos.
According to him, education is a social service, and the duty of every responsible government is to ensure that the citizens are educated.
“If private schools and mission schools are to function well, the government should act as collaborators; they should set standards and do the supervision effectively.
“But they also have to give incentives, particularly for mission schools to thrive, because mission schools are not there to make profit.
“In those days, mission schools were given grants in order to carry out their activities, and so it’s a bit more difficult than it used to be.
“So, we expect that the government should give mission schools tax break,’’ he said.
The cleric urged government to be consistent in making policies related to the education sector.
“More importantly, we think that government should be consistent in their policies; every minister that comes in wants to leave an imprint, therefore changes existing education policies.
“School curriculum should be allowed to reflect on the principles of the missions that founded the schools; all of these should be ways government can collaborate with mission and private schools,’’ he said.
Speaking to the teachers of the school, Martins advised them to ensure that values and virtues are their watchwords for the growth of the nation, as they teach the future leaders.
“Education is not just to learn mathematics or earn a living, but to acquire values in order to be good citizens.
“They should strive to teach students how to respect the dignity of the human person by inculcating in them the love of teamwork for the common good of everyone,” he said.
Martins urged the students to learn top values that would guide them.
“This is the beginning of the best part of your lives,’’ he said.
Source: NAN
