Catholic Diocese in Nigeria to “pursue the return” of Catholic Schools from Government

Bishop Nzukwein, who has been at the helm of the Wukari Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in April 2023, also expressed a commitment to ensure enhanced peaceful coexistence among students with inclusion and rollout of “peace education” in schools.

“We shall introduce and implement peace/security education in all our schools,” he said, adding that children would be taught “to reject violence and prioritize dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding as the foundation for resolving conflicts and building a harmonious society.”

He said that co-curricular activities as well as sporting and cultural events would also be encouraged in the Catholic schools to promote peace and harmony among students.

The Bishop said his Diocese would train experts and equip them with skills in management of “intra-tribal, inter-tribal rivalry, and ethno-religious violence and chaos that derives from identity/religious/cultural-based conflicts.”

In the statement, the 55-year-old Catholic Church leader goes on to emphasize the importance of effective management of schools for sustainable education, promising to ensure that all managers of schools in the Diocese possess the requisite training and understanding of both national and Catholic policies on education.

 “We shall ensure that all managers of our schools are professional educators and acquainted with the national/Catholic policy on education,” says the Bishop, adding, “The Diocesan Education Board and the Education Commission shall ensure the proper supervision and monitoring of our schools for quality assurance.”

On promoting faith formation among children and youth in his Diocese, Bishop Nzukwein states, “We shall establish and strengthen the Holy Childhood Association (HCA), Young Catholic Students Association (YCS), and the Nigeria Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS) Association chaplaincies in all the schools in our Diocese.”

“We beseech the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary that we may be able to effectively carry out these resolutions that we have made for ourselves,” he concludes in the statement at the end of the Second Diocesan General Assembly, which was realized under the theme, “The Church of Wukari Diocese: Enhancing Holistic and Sustainable Education in Taraba State.”