Ekiti to hand over Christ's schools to original owners

Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has said his administration is ready to hand over mission schools to their original owners as long as they can prove that they have the ability to provide qualitative education in such institutions.

He stated that in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend during a meeting with the leadership of the Anglican Church in the state and members of the Alumni Association of Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti on moves to hand over the school and Christ's Girls School to their original owners.

In a statement on Sunday by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, ‎the governor said what was important is the provision of quality education to Ekiti children and improving on the standards the state had set.

The governor, who received a document prepared by the alumni, the Anglican Church and state government officials on the modalities for the handing over from the President, Christ's School Alumni Association, Chief Uduimo Itsueli, expressed hope that the process of handing over the schools would not be delayed.

"We met some months back and you said you would want to take over the running of the school.‎ Government alone can't fund education. We are in ‎support of such moves, especially when those involved are credible and are people who will help to provide sound and quality education for our children.

"We are after quality education and we want to maintain our position as leaders in the education sector. We are first in NECO examinations and we are among the best in WAEC and the only industry here is education and we can't afford to let it depreciate. I am persuaded that the church and the alumni association are credible and they have what it takes to make the schools better.

"Other groups who may have similar intention will be considered as long as they meet the requirements set down by the state government. It is clear that a lot of things are missing in the sector and the gap can't be filled by the government alone," he said.

Governor Fayose also called on parents, corporate bodies and others to support the government in the task of improving the standard of education in the state.In his remarks, Itsueli ‎said the alumni association in conjuction with the Anglican Church ‎would run the schools when handed over.

He said the document presented to the governor would form the bedrock of the arrangement and that after the schools are handed over, the state government would supervise the whole arrangement for some time.The Bishop of the Anglican Church, Ekiti, Most Revd. C.T. Omotunde, was among the church delegation.