Ebonyi state government, Thursday, handed over six schools to Catholic Church in the state.
The schools are; King David Gifted Academy, Vocational College, Government Technical College, Agba, Government Technical College, Afikpo and Government Technical College, Abakaliki.
A memorandum of understanding for the hand over was signed by both parties during groundbreaking of Permanent Site of King David Gifted Academy which took place in on Thursday in Abakaliki, the state capital.
Governor David Umahi handed over the schools to the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki.
He blamed moral decadence and other societal ills in the country on loss of moral education which missionaries brought to Nigeria.
“Part of the problems of the society is that the moral education the missionaries brought to us, is no longer there. Part of the problems is that we have abandoned God and quest for other things.
“We started to dream a dream on how to raise excellent children, how to have something special that Ebonyi will be known for and God told us to start what may be called King David Gifted Academy.
“One day, I went to that school which we asked the Catholic which I lobbied for them to take it over because they are the community of the Lord which you still find great level of discipline.
“And so, I went there and I saw the children, they were marching to go and eat. For me, it was a solemn moment and a reflection of the past and I said to myself, one day I will take my metal box and use keke Napep and go and spend one day in the school; join them in their classes, join them in their refractory, join them in their prep, join them to sleep because I am so excited with what the Catholic community is doing in that institution”, Umahi stated.
Secretary to the state Government, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, commended the Catholic Church for taking lead in managing educational sector in the state and encouraged other churches to emulate the Catholic Church.