Catholic Bishops Conference to introduce new syllabus

Wa, May 14, GNA - The Catholic Bishops Conference is to introduce new syllabus for the teaching of Religious and Moral Education in line with the new educational reforms, the Catholic Bishop of Wa, the Most Reverend Paul Bemile said on Wednesday. He appealed to Catholic priests and other religious leaders to double-up as teachers of Religious and Moral Education in the schools. Addressing the annual conference of the Wa Diocesan Priests Association (WADPA) at Wa, Bishop Bemile said: "The conduct of teachers and especially priests and religious leaders are of primary importance shaping the character of pupils and students in Catholic institutions. The Conference was on the theme: "Church and State Partnership in implementing the New Educational Reforms".

Bishop Bemile said to establish a true and meaningful partnership between the Church and the state, the educational climate, the personal development of each student, the relationship established between culture and the gospel and the illumination of all knowledge with the light of faith, should be mutually agreed upon. He said: "If a school is excellent, but does not observed authentic values, then both good pedagogy and concern for pastoral care make it obvious that renewal is needed in that school".

Bishop Bemile admitted that, there was the need to renew not only the content and methodology of religious instruction, but also the overall school planning that governed the whole process of training students. He said whereas a Catholic school is a civic institution, it is also a Christian community where educational goals were deeply rooted in Christ and his gospel. Bishop Bemile noted that, it would be unjust to accept the services rendered by the products from Catholic institutions and at the same time, ignored criticise Catholic schools because they instilled into students Religious and Moral Education. He commended the government for reintroducing Religious and Moral Education in schools as an academic and examinable subject. "That demonstrates that, a new age may be dawning and we applaud government for that", Bishop Bemile said.