NEWSLETTER

MISSIONS AND EXORBITANT SCHOOL FEES

OUR STAND

It is a known fact that we can make a complete U-turn by just slightly turning the steering of our cars either to the left or right without consciously being aware that we are then heading to the opposite direction rather than moving forward. It will take someone that knows the direction we are originally heading to call us to order. The scripture is full of checks and balances to guide us against making any monumental derailment from keeping our light shining as the light of the world and in so doing not letting others see Jesus in us.

Gradually, the Church, with due respect to a few that has remained resolute and uncompromising, is drifting towards laying their treasure right here on earth in spite of biblical injunction to the contrary. It has taken the full advantage of the confidence reposed on them by the society in the area of strict adherence to high level of discipline and code of conduct in the running of their newly discovered business in the name of Mission Schools which cut across Daycare/ Nursery and Primary up to University.

The exorbitant fees charged by our mission schools today are not only ridiculous but alarming. They often explain it away when confronted by either their members or outsiders that 'Quality education is not cheap'. Indeed, that was the same answer I got from a Pastor whom I asked for an explanation for such ridiculous fees in schools. He was tasking his members to prepare to make sacrifices towards funding a proposed 10 million Naira mission school project. But if quality education is not cheap, why would Church Members be made to fund the school projects which their children will not eventually be admitted into because their parents whose funds were used in building them cannot eventually afford the exorbitant fees? If private organizations and individuals would borrow money from banks with high interest rates and still offer same quality education at cheaper fees, why then will those of our missions who have no loan or interest to pay back charge higher? Why wouldn't missions also source their fund elsewhere and be at liberty to charge whatever they like since schools are for profit making and in so doing, nobody will question them knowing they are into serious business ventures? These questions I raised and the Pastor became furious and shunned me down, but for the uproar and murmuring from his audience who are on my side, he wouldn't have allowed me to continue.

The points we are making are:
1 though the early missionaries that brought Western education introduced free missions schools, of which most of our church leaders today are beneficiaries, we are not expecting free mission schools today but that school fees should have at least, human face.

 2 It is humanly and morally wrong for members to be made to contribute money for the establishment of schools whose quality is so high for the caliber of their children. 

3 We are the light of the world and therefore should be role models. 

4 Profit making should not be the primary objective for venturing into any social work
by missions. 

With the high level of impoverishment unleashed on the masses by our political leaders, the church cannot but be seen, at least to the barest minimum, as a safe zone where people will look from left to right, front and back and say 'If not for the Church' to the Glory of God the father. We may constantly try to explain away issues as to continue to remain at the Comfort Zone, but one thing is clear, 'we have not so learned Christ.'