The desire of the Niger Dioceses to set up a school that would take care of the technical needs of the students led to the conception of Comprehensive Secondary School, Nawfia.
It all started in a meeting of the then Niger Diocese in 1960 when someone came up with the proposal and it was agreed that if any Town could raise up to two hundred and fifty pound, the school would be sited in that town. As a result, one notable business tycoon, C.T Onyekwelu, a native of Nawfia and a lover of education rose in that meeting and wrote a cheque of two hundred and fifty pounds and immediately presented it to the Executive Board. When he came down to Nawfia with this laudable project, St. Michael’s Anglican Church volunteered to provide the land for the School.
The school finally started in 1962 after two years of strategic planning and consultation as Anglican Technical Secondary School (ATSS) Nawfia.
Today, it has metamorphosed into a model Comprehensive Secondary School (CSS), Nawfia. At inception, they were able to erect the main building up to lintel level and for it to have this technical bias, the Metal and Wood workshop were constructed and headed by an expatriate Mr. G.A. Moore who had his residence very close to the boundary of the school premises.
The pioneer principal of the school was Elder Okoye Ephraim from Nnobi town and a product of DMGS Onitsha.
It is note worthy that the principal was the only Mathematics Teacher as at 1962. He worked with Late Mr. Nwoka Gilbert , a senior Tutor who taught Geography,
Late Mr. Sam Erike who taught English language and Mr Oguebulu who assisted Mr. Moore in Woodwork and Technical Drawing.
Others are, Obi E.C. from Oba also taught Woodwork and Technical Drawing, E.C. Mesigo taught Metalwork, Lady Mesigo taught Typing and short-hand in
Commercial Department, while Mr. Ifebi from Nnewi taught Economics.
The school started with less than Thirty students as pioneer students in 1962 and the present library was used as Hostel. Today, it is worth mentioning that the school has up to forty-three permanent Teachers and more than a thousand students.
Due to its unique comprehensive nature, the curriculum was divided into Technical, Science, Arts, and Commercial departments to meet the desire of students . For this
reason, many students that attended the school and for one reason or another could not further their education are professionals in various technical fields due to their attendance of Comprehensive School, Nawfia.
In the same vein, the school has produced Professors and many University graduates, who excelled in their various field of endeavors such as Priests, Engineers, Medical Doctors, Judges, Lawyers, Media Executive, Principals, Pilots, Commissioners of Police, Army Officers, Reputable Administrators and Teachers among others.
Comprehensive Secondary School, Nawfia was and still is a great force to
recon with in area of Sports and other extra curricular activities. The school has six houses named after their patrons.
Today, a lot of educational facilities dot the school environment, making it a
standard school in its entire ramification.
DR OLIVER ONWUGHALU
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