Mission schools want subsidy to reduce fees

The mission higher institutions in Anambra have appealed to the Federal Government to provide subsidy for private universities in the country to enable it cope with running costs.

The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, told newsmen in Awka on Wednesday that inadequate funding was responsible for the higher tuition obtainable in mission schools.

Ezeokafor, the proprietor of the Awka Catholic Diocese-owned Peter University, Achina, Aguata Local Government Area of the state, said he had personally made such appeal to the Federal Government.

He said the subsidy would help address the high cost of accessing education in the mission-owned primary/secondary schools and universities.

The bishop said the place of private intervention in the provision of education in Nigeria could no longer be wished away.

“They were irresistible complements to what government provided,’’ he said.

Ezeokafor said that the cost of studying in the public universities was low because of funding by the Federal Government, while state universities were higher due to inadequate funding.

“There is need to support private universities by Federal Government because we build and operate these institutions with supports from the tuition paid by students.

“We hire good lecturers also which attract high pay without any help. All these are financed from what the students pay, especially tuition,’’ he said.

The bishop said most private universities were faith-based and had not only enhanced the supply of education, but maintained high standard and moral values in spite of running cost.

He said that efforts had been intensified for the completion of the Peter University to provide best academic and moral education.

Ezeokafor called on Nigerians and Catholic faithful in particular to continue their financial contribution to enable the diocese to complete the project.