Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, has lamented multiple taxes being imposed on missionary schools by the Kaduna State government.
He spoke yesterday at the Thanksgiving Mass of Sacred Heart School after the Supreme Court judgment that returned the school to the Catholic Church.
According to him, missionary schools in Nigeria are obviously filling up gaps in the educational system.
“Education in Nigeria was better in the 70’s when faith-based organisations were in charge of many schools. But government took over the schools and that is why we are where we are today. If you remove mission schools, there was no education then in the 70’s because the public schools then were for the elite. I know that a lot of them who took over schools may have been regretting what they had done.
“Now, they have scattered and destroyed education completely and therefore, the state of primary schools in Nigeria is appalling. Most schools just exist in name, nothing is happening in the primary schools in the rural communities.
“Education in our country today is in a sorry state. I think those charged with the responsibility should wake up. We don’t discriminate in our schools, Catholic schools are for everybody,” he said.
The archbishop reiterated the need for government to partner with faith-based organisation in order to produce quality education. He noted the need for government at all levels to invest more in education.
He said, “It is the responsibility of the government to provide quality education for Nigerian children, especially at the first six years foundational classes.”
He further said government should allow missionary schools to thrive, instead of killing them with multiple taxation.
“They won’t allow us to do our best with the little money we have, they are bringing all manners of taxes to cripple us and frustrate us, meanwhile, we are helping the public by providing basic education for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion,” Ndagoso added.
(Leadership)
