Review of education system on agenda in CBCI’s plenary meeting next year

Ranchi – Concerned over the spread of corruption among the bureaucrats and politicians and their inefficiency shown in governing the country, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference in India (CBCI) and the archbishop of Ranchi, has urged the churche leaders of the Catholic dioceses to review their entire education system when they meet earlier next year.

The decision to hold the meeting follows the cardinal’s concerns that many bureaucrats who have been charged with corruption had their educational moorings in institutions run by missionaries. The church, he said, would like to find out why the students had grown to be corrupt in later life in spite of a value–based education system.

“We are worried that many bureaucrats and politicians who have passed out from our institutions have proved themselves utterly corrupt and selfish later in their lives. This is despite the fact that our institutions bear the motto Charity and Justice, which are boldly embossed on their insignias,” said Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo.

According to the cardinal, a general assembly of the council, which includes church leaders belonging to 115 dioceses, would meet at Vailankanni in Tamil Nadu from January 6 to 8 next year to review the role of the schools run by them. The church leaders are expected to deliberate at length on the theme, “Catholic Education and its Concern for the Marginalised.”

“Next year’s plenary would dwell at length on whether the church–run institutions have restricted themselves to serving the rich and the upper middle–class only. It would also monitor if we have been able to serve the marginalised as well,” Cardinal Toppo said.

The council plenary would submit its recommendations, along with its observations, to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the highest body of the Roman Catholic Church in the country.

The CBCI is expected to meet in February next year to finalise its recommendations to be implemented by all schools and educational institutions run by the Church.

The cardinal pointed out that barring some prestigious schools such as Jesus and Mary, Loreto and Columbus, which cater to those who can pay and the upper middle class, most Church–run institutions were located in rural areas.

“Around 75 per cent of our schools are located in the interiors. Most are serving the marginalised and the tribals. Our ratio of girl students in our schools is the highest in the country. Still we will review the quality of education and our target bases to find out whether the church has fulfiled its obligations to the marginalised sections of our society,” the cardinal said.

“In effect, the council will evaluate in detail the quality of education that our numerous educational institutions is imparting. We are aware that most of our students do not even remember our motto that calls for charity, justice, peace and harmony. The result is that many of our products have failed to live up to our expectations,” he said.

The prelate pointed out that a pastoral letter circulated by him to all churches has boldly prescribed that no Catholic child should be deprived of education for want of money. He added that his letter further said no Catholic should go to bed hungry. However, he regretted that the various parishes under his control have not lived up to the levels expected of them.

Cardinal Toppo pointed out that there was an urgent need to empower the people. Referring to Jharkhand, the cardinal recalled that prior to the setting up of Heavy Engineering Corporation in Hatia in 1961, he had never seen a beggar on the streets of Ranchi. He lamented that as the pace of development quickened, the number of have–nots in the state has increased manifold.

“The pace has not stemmed even after the creation of a separate Jharkhand state. Development seems to have displaced more people in the state. The tribals and the other original dwellers who were not prepared for the changes were taken off–guard,” he said.