Catholic Teachers in Kenya Urged to Help Learners Attain God-Given Purpose, “transmitting culture in the light of faith”

The Local Ordinary of Nakuru since his episcopal consecration in May 2023 said that Catholic teachers’ roles include faith formation.

“A Catholic teacher has an essential function in Catholic education as a role model of faith. Our identity as a Church in engaging ourselves in education is not to do it as any other person does it. We have a different role and the biggest part of it is faith,” he said, adding that Catholic teachers “fulfill the purpose of Catholic education of transmitting culture in the light of faith.”

Bishop Oseso said Catholic educators’ role also includes teaching students about responsibility and the right use of freedom, helping them to attain the kingdom of God, and guiding them to their purpose in life. 

“How do you become an Eli to this child? How do you guide this person to be able to respond to what God calls them to be,” he posed and explained, “As teachers, ours also is to help this child attain the kingdom of God. What have you put in their life to make them different? To make them live the calling that God is calling them?” 

“You must help in forming the human person by developing the physical, moral, spiritual and intellect,” Bishop Oseso told Catholic educators at the April 16 - 18 conference that was themed “Catholic Schools: Hubs of Foundational Learning & Integral Formation for Holistic Growth”.

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The Bishop also urged teachers to help in forming the consciences of students by equipping them with the capacity to recognize right from wrong, developing their moral reasoning and capacity of judgment.

He said, “Teachers in Catholic schools must have that crucial task of assisting in the formation of Catholic conscience so that learners who have complex issues in their life are prepared to make good moral judgment.”

“It is important to help them to understand and to know how to make the correct judgment so that they do not get into trouble,” the Kenyan Bishop said, and added, “Moral values are important components of every individual’s character and should be taught right from childhood.”

The importance of teaching values to children is that it helps them to choose the right way and avoid the evil ways,” he said.

He continued, “A teacher or parent has the responsibility of developing moral reasoning competence in learners by providing them with the tools of deciding on ethical problems and how to engage in ethical dialogue.”

“By engaging students in moral dialogue,” Bishop Oseso said, “a teacher helps them to think about why it is good to do this and avoid the other.”

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