By Jude Michael
As the 2023/2024 academic session commenced amid harsh economic conditions, resulting in a steady increase in prices of most essential goods and services in the country, the Catholic Diocese of Awka has advised principals of its schools against increment in school fees as being speculated.
The Education Secretary of the Diocese, Rev Fr Maximus Okonkwo, who disclosed this during an interview with the press in Awka, said, ‘We shall definitely advise (our parochial) school principals and managers to be very sensitive to the economic plights of the people, at least not to increase school fees at this point in time.
‘We should urge them to manage whatever they have – what it used to be. For instance, a school that was collecting N25, 000 last term, should maintain it,’ he said.
The cleric advised teachers to take their noble profession as a vocation, and impart knowledge to students in love without reservation.
The education secretary admonished students to embrace education, saying, describing it as life.
‘Anyone that acquires quality education, education will mould the person to know his right and left, know good and bad, and choose correctly,’ he said.
He also appealed to parents to allow their children return to school and give them necessary encouragement to study hard.
