Timeline
1903
Early Catholic Missionaries from Europe
The early Catholic Missionaries came from Europe to Calabar in 1903 with the aim of evangelizing the people of the Calabar region and establishing the faith in the land. The Missionaries led by Fr. Lejeune came with three aims in mind to enable them to achieve their goal.
The aims included:
a. To build the Church and inculcate the Catholic faith
b. To build Schools and educate the people
c. To build hospitals and offer health care services.
1912
The first Catholic School built and managed by the early Missionaries was Sacred Heart Primary School, Lagos Street, Calabar in 1903. This was followed by St. Paul's Primary School, Ikot Edem Odo in 1912 and later Convent Primary School, Calabar Road in 1922 and Convent Primary School, Efut Abua in 1923. Thereafter, St. Joseph Primary School, Ikot Ene 1928 and St. Patrick's College, Ikot Ansa in 1934 were established. T
he management of Catholic Schools as at the early times was directly carried out by the Missionaries. After the Nigerian Civil War (1966 to 1969), Government of Nigeria took over ownership and management of all Mission Schools including Catholic Mission Schools. Thus, all Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools became Government Schools from 1972 till 2002 when the Government of Cross River State through the kind leadership of His Excellency, Governor Donald Duke decided to hand over some Mission Secondary Schools to their rightful owners through the persistent plea of our late Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr. Brian Davis Usanga.
During the long period of government take-over of schools, the Church continued to encourage parishes to build more schools to use them as nursery ground for propagating the faith and inculcating sound morals and values. To be able to manage the new schools and a few handed over by the Cross River State Government, the late Archbishop B. D. Usanga appointed Msgr. Joseph P. Ekarika as Manager of schools and for many years he coordinated the affairs of all Catholic Schools. Later, Msgr. Emmanuel O. Idem was appointed but his tenure was brief. In 2002, the Catholic Schools Board was first constituted and charged with the responsibility of overseeing all Catholic Schools in the Calabar Archdiocese. Their supervisory services were extended to Convent Schools.
The Board was headed by Lady Josephine Ogar while Msgr. Emmanuel Idem who took over from Msgr. J.P. Ekarika as manager of schools became first Acting Secretary in 2002. Rev. Fr. Malachy Ephraim took over from Msgr. Idem in November 2002 but he handed over the office of Secretary of Schools Board and Principal of St. Patrick's College to Rev. Fr. Christopher Okpu in 2003. Thereafter, Rev. Fr. Christopher Okpu handed over the office of Education Secretary to Msgr. Emmanuel Umoetok in 2004 and continued as Principal of St. Patrick's College till 2005. During the tenure of Mrs. Josephine Ogar and Msgr. Emmanuel Umoetok as Board Chairman and Executive Education Secretary respectively, the Archbishop Emeritus (now of blessed memory), Most Rev. Dr. Joseph. E. Ukpo gave the approval and directives for formulation of Education Policy, unification of all Catholic Schools for single stream management and unified financial management of all Catholic Schools' funds. Although this approval and directives worked well, they did not bind Convent Schools that were established and managed by Handmaid Sisters, and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Mfamosing.
The first Catholic School built
2014
DISSOLUTION OF THE FORMER BOARD
With the dissolution of the former Board, the second Board was constituted on June 5, 2014 by the incumbent Archbishop, Most Rev. Joseph E. Ekuwem. The second Board Chairman, Prof. Stephen C. Uche and new Executive Education Secretary, Rev. Fr. Dominic E. Umo, took over from Mrs. Josephine Ogar and Msgr. Emmanuel Umoetok respectively.
Following the dissolution of the second Board the third Board under the chairmanship of Prof. Maurice Asuquo was constituted and inaugurated on 27, November 2022.
On 6th May, 2023 Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Maurice Edem was appointed Executive Secretary to succeed Very Rev. Fr. Dominic Umo. Among other duties, the third Schools Board was mandated by the Proprietor, Most Rev. Joseph E. Ekuwem to review the existent Catholic Education Policy for all Catholic Schools in the Calabar Archdiocese to provide guidelines and regulations for effective management of Catholic Schools.