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Catholic Schools and the Interests of the Poor in Nigeria

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Catholic Schools and the Interests of the Poor in Nigeria Catholic Schools and the Interests of the Poor in Nigeria Maria Ugonna Rita Igbo A thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Institute of Education, University College London (UCL) February 2020 1 Declaration I, Maria Ugonna Rita Igbo, declare that the work presented in this thesis is entirely borne out of my research efforts. Where information is derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. Word count inclusive of appendices and bibliography: 67,439 Signed: Maria Ugonna Rita Igbo 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration………………………………………………………………………………..…….2 Table of Content………………………………………………………………………….…….3 List of Figures…………………………………………………………...………………..…….6 List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………..……..7 Acknowledgment………………………………………………………………………….…....8 Abstract………………………..………………………………………………………..……..10 Impact Statement………...………………...…………………………………………………11 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study…………………………………………………..….…....13 1.2 Statement of the Problem……………………………..……………………….…...14 1.3 Research Questions…………………………………………….………………...…15 1.4 Significance and Rationale for the Research………..………………………..…..16 1.6 Thesis Structure……...……………………………………………………….….…..17 1.7 Operational Definitions of Terms……………………………………………….…..18 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction ………………………………………...………………………………...20 2.2 Theoretical Framework…………………………...…………………………..……..20 2.2.1 Liberation Theology and the Catholic Context…………………………......……..24 2.2.2 Preferential Option for the Poor – A Catholic Social Teaching Principle..……..36 2.3 Conceptual Framework………..…………………………………………………....44 2.3.1 ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’ in Theology: Catholic schools and the Principle of ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’ in Nigeria…………………………………...45 2.3.2 Implications of Advantaged Intakes in Catholic Schools in Nigeria…………….50 2.3.3 ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’: Some International Perspectives..…….…….52 CHAPTER THREE: THE POOR AND CATHOLIC EDUCATION: INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT 3.1 Preferential Option for the Poor in USA…………………………………….…..…56 3.2 Preferential Option for the Poor in Australia………………………….…….….….63 3.3 Preferential Option for the Poor in United Kingdom………………………….…..67 3.4 The Case of the Republic of Ireland……………………………………………….70 3.5 Empirical Evidence of the International Implementation of the ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’ in the Developing Countries…………………………...…...75 3.5.1 Preferential Option in Brazil…………..…………………………………..……..…75 3.5.2 Preferential Option in Peru…………..………………………..……………………77 3.5.3 Preferential Option in India…………..………………………………….………….79 3 3.5.4 Preferential Option in Zambia………..………………………………………….....83 3.5.5 Preferential Option in South Africa..……………………………………………….84 3.6 Apparent Challenges and Resources that Have Enabled Expression of the ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’ ..……………………..………………….………87 3.7 Summary ……………………………………………………………………..……...91 CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………..……96 4.2 Research Approach and Design…………………………………………....……..96 4.2.1 Case Study: Advantages and Disadvantages – A Summary.……………...…..98 4.3 Multi- methods………………...……...………………………………...………...…98 4.3.1 Methods of Data Collection………………...……………....……………………..100 4.4 The sample…………………………………………………………………….…....104 4.5 The Pilot Study………………………...………………………………………..….105 4.6 Ethical Issues…………………………………………………………………….....106 4.7 Analysis of Data ……………………………………………….…………..……….107 4.8 Conclusion …………………………………………...………………..…………...108 CHAPTER FIVE: ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ON HOW CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DEAL WITH ‘PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR’ IN NIGERIA 5.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………….………..109 5.2 Theme 1: Entrance Forms: An Obstacle to Access for the Poor ...……….….110 5.3 Theme 2: Admission to Poor Students …………………….……………………111 5.4 Theme 3: Scholarships ………………………………………………...……...….113 5.5 Theme 4: Endowment Funds Scheme and Donations ...…..……………….....119 5.5.1 Student Perspectives……….……………... ...…..………………………….…....120 5.6 Theme 5: Instalment Payment of School Fees…………………….…………....121 5.7 Theme 6: Low School Fees compared to Private Schools ……………....……126 5.7.1 External Perspectives…………..…………………... ...…..………….….…….....129 5.8 Theme 7: Employment Opportunities to Local Community……..…..……..…..131 5.9 Theme 8: Service to Community (Charity Home)…………….…….…..……....131 5.10 Conclusion……….………………………………………………………..…...…...132 5.11 Critical Reflection on the findings…………….……………….…………..………133 CHAPTER SIX: ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ON THE ROLES OF THE BISHOPS AND MAJOR SUPERIORS AS ‘PROPRIETORS’. 6.1 Introduction………………..…………………………………………………….…..134 6.2 Low-Cost Fees. ………………………………………………………….....………138 6.3 Sponsorship/Fee Subsidy …………………………………………………………139 6.4 External Funding/Grants …………………………………………..……..……….141 4 6.5 Social Charity/Social Justice in the Curriculum…………….……………...…...142 6.6 School Fees Waiver………………………………………………………...……..143 6.7 Character Formation……………………………………………….………………144 6.8 Maintaining Quality Education that Teaches Core Values including Morality, Discipline and Academic Excellence…………………………………..………...147 6.9 Non-Discrimination between Rich and Poor Students………………...…….....150 6.10 Conclusion………………...………………………………………………………...152 6.11. Overall Critical Reflections: Senior Leadership and the Option for the Poor in education: Theory and Practice…………..………………………………..…….154 CHAPTER SEVEN: ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ON HOW THE SCHOOLS COPE WITH THE INTAKES OF STUDENTS IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS NO FUNDING FROM EITHER THE GOVERNMENT OR THE CHURCH 7.1 Introduction………………………..………………………………………………..156 7.2 Sources of Funding……………………………………...…………..…..………...156 7.3 Instalment Payment / School Fees Waiver…………………………..….………159 7.4 Scholarship……………………..…………………………………………………...159 7.5 Policy and Practice: Meaning and Place in the school……………………...….160 7.6 Conclusion………..………………………………………………………….……...167 7.7 Overall Critical Reflections: Catholic Schools Intervention Strategies and Option for the poor: Leadership Influence ……………………………….……………....168 CHAPTER EIGHT: DISCUSSION ON PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR 8.1 Introduction………………………...……………………………………………..…169 8.2 Discussion on Finding to Research Question 1……………………...………….169 8.2.1 Admission into Catholic Schools………………..………………………...……..170 8.2.2 Fee-charging Policy………………………………...………………………………171 8.2.3 Endowment funds Scheme………………………………...…………..………….173 8.2.4 Appreciation of the Local Community………………………..…………….….…173 8.3 Discussion on Finding to Research Question 2……………………...…….…...174 8.3.1 School Fees in Catholic schools Compared to Private schools………..……...174 8.3.2 Non-discrimination between Rich and Poor Students………..……………..….175 8.3.3 External funding Grants/Social Charity…………………..……………………....175 8.3.4 Quality Education, Core Values, Morality, Discipline and Academic Excellence…………………………………………………………………..……....176 8.4 Discussion on Finding to Research Question 3………………..………….…....177 8.4.1 Scholarships………………..……………………………………………………….177 8.4.2 Installment Payment of Fees………………………..…………………….………178 8.4.3 School Fees Waiver……………………………………………………...…..…….178 5 8.4.4 Policy and Practice…………………………………………………….…..….....179 8.5 Overall Critical Reflections: Relevance to other Countries……………..…….180 8.5.1 Contribution of this Study to Funding Through Scholarships……….….…….180 CHAPTER NINE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 9.1 Summary ……………………………………………………………….……….….182 9.2 Conclusion……………………………………………………………….……........185 9.3 Recommendations …………………………………………………….………......186 9.4 Specific Research Projects needed for the Future…………………..…………187 9.5 The Limitations of the Research……………………………………………….....188 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………..…………………………………..…189 APPENDICES……………………………..……...……………………….………..197 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Paulo Freire’s Approach…………………………………………….……..21 Figure 2: The Conceptual Map of the Preferential Option for the Poor……..……41 6 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Ownership and Control of Schools by Voluntary Agencies……….…….46 Table 2: The Percentage of Students in the different Schools That Attend fee- paying schools……………………………………..……………………..…72 Table 3: Data Collection Methods………………..………………...…………….….99 Table 4: Table of Participants in Interview…..……………………...……………..103 Table 5: The Percentage of Students on Scholarship in the Catholic Schools..119 Table 6: Comparison of Catholic Schools and Other Private Schools Fees…..127 7 Acknowledgements First of all, I thank the Almighty God who inspired me to do a research on the education of the poor in Nigeria, and for accompanying me throughout this journey. I express my gratitude, love and affection to the Blessed Virgin Mary, on whose Motherly intercession and protection I have continued to lean. My very special appreciation goes to my Supervisors – Professor Kathryn Riley, Professor Gerald Grace, and Dr Rupert Higham for their unalloyed support, understanding, inspirations and time. The journey was not very easy, but with them by my side, I was confident and steadily carried out the research to the end. In a similar manner, I thank Dr Eva Garmanikow, who was my very first Supervisor until her retirement from IOE. I immensely thank my Sponsor, His Eminence, John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, for his understanding, love and kindness, for his love for the poor and the needy. I also express similar thanks to my Superiors General beginning from Mother Ifechukwu Udorah who gave me the permission to undertake the PhD work, to Mother Chilota Elochukwu, for her love, concern and support, as well as for the part
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