Governor Mbah: Smart Schools Will Work with the Church in Education

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has eased the worries of Church leaders. They were concerned that the Smart Green Schools initiative might reduce the Church’s role in basic education. Mbah assured them that his government sees the Church as an important partner in education.

Mbah highlighted the Church's historical contributions to education in Enugu State, the old Eastern Region, and Nigeria. He stated that no responsible government can ignore the Church's legacy and ongoing role in shaping education.

He gave this assurance during his keynote speech at the 38th Convention of the Canon Law Society of Nigeria (CLSN). This event also celebrated the 95th birthday of Most Rev. Anthony Gbuji, the society’s founder and former Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu. The event took place at the Ghost Cathedral, Enugu, on Wednesday.

In his speech titled, “Role of the Church in Shaping Education and Development in Enugu State,” Mbah addressed concerns about whether the government’s investment in public schools would leave Church schools behind. He said, “I understand that concern. These are institutions that have educated generations of our people. Their leaders have every reason to care about their place in Enugu’s educational future. So, I want to answer them directly.

“The Church is essential to the educational transformation we are undertaking. It would be deeply counterproductive for government to invest in a new system of learning while allowing Church educators and institutions to become disconnected from it. We need you in our basic education system. We need your teachers, your experience and your continuing commitment to the development of our children,” he said.

Mbah encouraged Church educators to adopt new teaching methods while keeping the values and traditions that make their contribution unique. He stressed that the government and the Church should continue to work together as partners, noting that moving to new learning methods would need changes in established practices.

“The Church, in turn, has an opportunity to embrace new educational methods while preserving the values and traditions that have distinguished its contribution. We will have to work through practical questions about training, standards, resources and implementation. Some established practices will need to change,” he said.

Mbah stated that his government is dedicated to turning the partnership into real actions. This includes offering professional development opportunities to Church educators. He revealed that Catholic priests are already part of the training process. He also emphasized that teachers in Church-owned schools should benefit from the new education initiative.

“Our intention is that Church educators should have access to the professional development opportunities being created for teachers in government schools. As we introduce experiential learning, we want educators across both systems to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to participate. That is an obligation I believe the government should take seriously,” he said.

Reflecting on the Church’s historical role, Mbah noted that Catholic missionaries significantly expanded access to education. They trained teachers and created opportunities for families well before the current education system began. He mentioned that mission schools in the former Eastern Region became centers of learning and helped train many educated Nigerians.

“The Catholic Church has earned a distinguished place in the educational history of Enugu and Nigeria. Long before our present educational system took shape, missionaries were establishing schools, training teachers and opening opportunities for families who understood that education could change the course of their children’s lives. Across the former Eastern Region, mission schools became centres of learning and intellectual ambition. So, we owe a considerable debt to that inheritance,” he added.

The governor also noted that the Church's role goes beyond just creating schools and graduates. He said its importance in teaching moral values and responsibility to society is just as significant. He believes educational development should produce not only successful individuals but also responsible citizens who contribute to the common good.

“A nation can produce highly accomplished individuals and still fail to build a society in which people flourish together. The difference lies partly in what those individuals understand their accomplishments to be for. The Church helped establish an educational tradition that recognised this connection between personal development and responsibility to others. That is an inheritance worth carrying into the future,” he said.

Mbah expressed gratitude to the Church for the Award of Excellence given to him. He said this recognition has motivated his administration to make Enugu State a top choice for investment, business, tourism, and living.