“The Church is called to go beyond its limits, to reach every person in need, especially the children excluded from learning. We must act to bring education to them,” the Local Ordinary of Saurimo Archdiocese, who doubles as the President of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST) reiterated.
He went on to advocate for a collaborative approach in the provision of formal education in Angola. He said, “Our performance is not to replace but to collaborate in providing this service as part of our mission and commitment to justice and as an expression of our Christian values.”
“Catholic schools must continue to carry out their mission, not only to educate minds but to form hearts and spirits. We must be the light for those who are left in the shadows of illiteracy and exclusion,” Archbishop Imbamba said.
Participants in the September 14 assembly, which brought together Catholic school leaders in the Archdiocese of Saurimo, reflected on the impact of Catholic education in the province, and discussed topics such as ethics, pedagogy, and the growing need for inclusive learning strategies.
Fr. Domingos Tchiimbandongo of Angola’s Catholic Diocese of Dundo acknowledged challenges in Catholic institutions of learning alongside situations of some progress.
“In the Diocese of Dundo, we are still in the early stages of establishing Catholic schools. We face many difficulties, especially given the young age of the diocese and the national educational system’s limitations. We continue to work with the hope that things will improve,” Fr. Domingos said.
On his part, Fr. Manuel Muliúle, the assembly’s spokesperson and Archdiocesan Coordinator for Catholic Schools in Saurimo, outlined the challenges the Catholic education system is facing.
“We are in a region where education began later compared to other parts of Angola, and this is partly due to cultural factors and the country’s history. The education system here is not in the best shape, but our Catholic schools are making strides to improve it,” Fr. Muliúle said.
He lauded Catholic institutions of learning leaders for spearheading quality education, saying, “The work we do here is of great quality, and it has a positive impact on the lives of our students.”
“We share knowledge and collaborate with schools in Lunda Norte, Saurimo, and Luena to ensure that we maintain high educational standards across the board,” the Archdiocesan Coordinator for Catholic Schools in Saurimo Archdiocese said during the September 14 event.
