Johannesburg, 16 January, 2025 / 3:03 pm (ACI Africa).
The Chairperson of the National Catholic Board of Education in South Africa has expressed optimism that Catholic-sponsored schools in the country will inspire hope in providing faith-based education during the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.
In a video message published on Tuesday, January 14 as the country ushered in the 2025 new academic year, Fr. Hugh O'Connor addressed the challenges that the country's education system is facing and emphasized the need for faith-based learning institutions to inspire hope in learners, fostering both academic excellence and personal growth.
“This year, 2025, is the Jubilee Year. The theme of this Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope. Within our South African educational system, there are many reasons and many signs to have hope that education is important for all children and for our entire nation,” Fr. O’Connor said.
He added, “This year, we hope that our schools will be beacons of hope, providing good education, faith-based education, and safe spaces for our learners and educators, so that they may seek and strive for academic excellence in a balanced, loving, and caring environment.”
“The safety of our learners is paramount, and once again, one of the signs of tremendous hope in a country where we experience so much violence and where there is so much disappointment in relationships,” said Fr. O’Connor who is also the Secretary General of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC).
