(3 Minutes Read)
Schools run by the Catholic Church are not usually registered as profit-making entities, but those who run them say they would not be competitive if they operated merely as charities. They say they face the same maintenance costs as others in the field and offer scholarships to exceptional students.
Across Africa, Catholic schools have long been a pillar of affordable but high-quality education, especially for poor families. Their appeal remains strong even with competition from other non-governmental investors now eying schools as enterprises for profit. The growing trend toward privatisation is sparking concern that the Catholic Church may price out the people who need uplifting.
Schools run by the Catholic Church are not usually registered as profit-making entities, but those who run them say they would not be competitive if they operated merely as charities. They say they face the same maintenance costs as others in the field and offer scholarships to exceptional students.
Tuition at the school was once as high as $800 but has since dropped to about US$600 as enrolment doubled to nearly 5,000, according to the school’s deputy headmaster. Across the region, the Catholic Church has built a reputation as a key provider of formal education in areas often underserved by the state. Its schools are cherished by families of all means for their values, discipline, and academic success.
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Many say the Church, as the largest non-governmental investor in education in sub-Saharan Africa, is not doing enough to ease the pressure faced by many families. The growing trend towards privatisation is sparking concerns that it may be drifting from its mission and pricing poorer children out of its schools. Costs are the main reasons why many children do not complete their schooling, with sub-Saharan Africa having the world’s highest dropout rate.
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