CBCI OFFICE FOR EDUCATION AND CULTURE INTERACTS

WITH THE DELHI ARCHDIOCESAN SCHOOLS

TO LAUNCH THE REVISION OF THE “CATHOLIC EDUCATION POLICY 2007”

AND THE “CBCI EDUCATION MASTERMINDS” NATIONAL QUIZ

42 heads of schools of the Delhi Archdiocese had their meeting to discuss the various educational concerns in the afternoon of 26th November 2018, at the Convent of Jesus and Mary School, New Delhi, after which the Archbishop of Delhi addressed the gathering highlighting the concerns of the Church regarding the education apostolate and introduced the concept of launching a project along with the Salesians of Don Bosco to train our students to empower them to be eligible to take up studies in Civil Service to be able undertake administrative services in the country. The proposal was explained in a little more detailed way by Fr. Robert Simon from the Don Bosco South Asia office at Dwarka. Along with Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto, the meeting was also graced by the presence of Msgr. Susai Sebastian, the Vicar General along with the Archdiocesan Education Secretary Sr. Sherley and Fr. Babu Varghese of the Delhi Catholic School Association. It was in the presence of the above mentioned dignitaries presiding over the meeting that Fr. Joseph Manipadam, National Secretary of the CBCI Office for Education and Culture, announced the launching of the revision of the “All India Catholic Education Policy 2007”, after which Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto was invited to inaugurate once again the “CBCI Education Masterminds” national quiz to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the “All India Catholic Education Policy 2007”.

Fr. Joseph Manipadam briefly mentioned the outcome and proposal of the two CBCI National Education Consultations held in Delhi for all the Regional and Diocesan Education Secretaries and the National and Provincial Education Coordinators of Religious Orders, that the Education Policy of the Catholic Church needs to go in for a revision and suggested that an official communication to this effect goes out from the CBCI Office for Education and Culture. Hence such notification had been drafted and had just been approved by the Chairman-bishop of the CBCI Office for Education, Archbishop Thomas D’Souza and would be sent out soon. He referred to the extract from the notification that would soon be going out as follows:     

“The revision of the existing Catholic Education Policy will necessarily mean first of all doing a detailed study of the existing policy, which by now those involved in active education ministry may not even be aware of as such study was done across the country several years ago and those who were familiar with it may not anymore be involved in the education apostolate. So it is most relevant and appropriate that the policy be studied again in view of any revision / changes / additions that may need to be incorporated, considering the changed situation that we are living in now even as the Government too is working at a new National Education Policy. For example when the “All India catholic Education Policy 2007” was promulgated, there was no “Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE)” bill; there was no “Loudato Si”; there was no “POCSO 2012”; there was no “Women’s Safety at Work Place” bill; there was no App based learning or Home study concept; there was no social media effect  etc. So it was suggested that an official communication be sent out to all the 14 Ecclesiastical Regions with their respective Dioceses and to all Provincial Superiors and Education Coordinators of religious Orders and to the CRI and to the various Educational Associations of Schools and Colleges to launch an organised study of the existing policy and forward suggestions / modifications/ additions etc. that emerge, to the CBCI Office for Education and Culture, New Delhi, within the next three months after which a commission may be set up to compile and draft the revised policy.

Matters regarding the evaluation and certification of institutions of the Archdiocese regarding implementation of the “All India Catholic Education Policy 2207” was also discussed. The programme came to an end with a vote of thanks being proposed by Sr. Archana, Principal of Loreto Delhi.