Victor EzejaAhead of the return of mission schools to churches by the Anambra State government in 2010, Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Diocese, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke embarked on training of priests in education related courses in different parts of the world. The priests would later come back and assume management positions in the mission schools when they were finally granted.
These priests, as Prime Business Africa gathered recently, have been performing creditably in the schools they are managing.
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Some of them who interacted with Prime Business Africa during the media company’s four-day tour of mission schools in Anambra State include:
Rev. Fr. Dr. Paschal Onwugbenu
Fr. Onwugbenu who is currently the secretary, Onitsha Archdiocesan Education Commission, holds a Ph.D in educational administration from New York.
He has served in the capacity as secretary of the diocesan commission for 9 years.
He is a member of Association for Superintendents and Curriculum Development, USA.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Celestine Arinze Okafor
Fr. Celestine Okafor is the principal and manager of the prestigious Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha.
Fr. Okafor holds a Doctorate Degree in Education obtained from Pontifical Urban University, Rome.
Fr. Okafor is a dynamic educationist who combines his philosophical and psychological knowledge to give the students the best shot in academic excellence and also prepare them for future life endeavours.
Rev. Fr. Francis Unegbu
Fr Francis Unegbu, is the principal and manager of St. John’s Special Science and Technical College Alor, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
He also has Ph.D in educational administration.
The school which some years back was in a dilapidated state, has today been turned around with edifying landscape and massive renovation of physical structures to provide a serene environment for teaching and learning. The result is significant increase in enrolment of students to over one thousand currently.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenu
Fr. Emmanuel Emenu is the principal of St. Charles College, Onitsha. Being an educationist also, having obtained a doctorate degree in the discipline, Fr. Emenu is also on the go, making efforts to lift the threshold of performance of the students, not just a few but all the students at the same time.
He said “We don’t emphasize having just a few stars in the firmament of many students. We want to make each student a star. I can tell you that an average performing student in St. Charles is likely to be an ‘A’ student in any average school around,” Fr. Emenu remarked during an interview with Prime Business Africa in the school at Onitsha.
Rev. Fr. Jerome Obiekezie
Fr. Jerome Obiekezie is the director, Regina Pacis Model Secondary School, Onitsha. He is also the director of St. Rita’s Catering Institute, Onitsha.
The clergy who has just been in the school for about five months has delved deep into making the school the best hub for skills acquisition for young generation, both in ICT skills, science and technology, and other vital skills needed by a mid-level economy like Nigeria.
Rev. Fr. Francis Onwuchulu
Fr. Francis Onwuchulu, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Onitsha, is the principal of Mater Amabilis Secondary School, Umuoji.
Fr. Onwuchulu who was ordained in 2018, revealed that the mission of the School which currently has about one thousand students drawn from different parts of the country and beyond, is to inspire in the students, the passion for hard work and excellence and prepare themselves for a productive future with a curriculum tailored to meet the needs of the times.
Rev. Sis. Maria Chijioke Nwankwo
Sis. Maria Nwankwo is the principal of Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, one of the girls schools returned to the church by the Anambra State government.
Sis. Nwankwo is of the Immaculate Heart Sisters religious congregation under the Catholic Church.
Nwankwo has been managing the school for more than 11 years, where she has focused on deploying all energy to giving the students the best girl-child education laced with sound moral values.
Rev. Fr. Damian Chinedu Ojukwu
Fr. Damian Ojukwu is the director of St. Kizito Girls Secondary, Umudioka.
The school which is now 55 years old, according to Fr. Ojukwu, has undergone a lot of modifications both structurally and academically.
The priest who was ordained in 2015 has been very passionate about the sound moral upbringing of the students to the delight of parents who come from different parts of the country and beyond to enrol their wards for good education in a serene environment.
Rev. Fr. Cletus Idu
Rev. Fr. Cletus Idu is the manager of Stella Maris College, Umueri, an ancient town where the Cargo Airport is located in Anambra State.
The school according Fr. Cletus, has like other ones returned to church by the government, been undergoing renovation structurally.
While serving as the spiritual director of the students, imparting in them sound moral formation, the priest has also been working hard to see that the students gets the best in terms of academic excellence and vital extracurricular skills to help after them their stay in the institution.
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