The Delta State Governemnt has announced that three more secondary schools would be returned to their former missionary owners in the state.

The three schools, according to the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, are Urhobo College, Warri; Hussey College, Warri; and Iwere College, Koko.

Muoboghare said in Asaba that the decision was in response to the appeal from community and opinion leaders in the areas where the schools were located.

“Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) made a case for Urhobo College to be returned to the mission while Itsekiri leaders pushed the cases of Hussey College and Iwere College.”

He remarked that the appeal by the communities demonstrated the appreciation of many leaders in the state of the government’s decision to return some of its schools to their former owners.

The commissioner restated that the return of schools to the missions would raise education standards and stimulate competition between private and public schools in the state.

On the recent merger of public secondary schools in the state, Muoboghare said that out of more than 1000 principals in all the schools, 502 retained their jobs after the exercise.

He said the principals were selected on seniority basis and that those dropped from headship of schools had reverted to vice principals and classroom teachers.

He, however, stated that the principals and their dropped colleagues remained on salary Grade Level 16, adding that those not heading schools currently were because of their positions on the seniority list.

“But with what we have started now, everybody knows what position he or she occupied on the list and knows when it will be his or her turn to be a principal.”

Muoboghare also announced that from the next academic session, only 40 students would be allowed in a classroom in the state.

He Warned that any school principal who admitted more than 40 children in one class, would refund the fees collected from the “extra” students.