Catholic Education Entity Founded During Apartheid in South Africa Celebrates Milestones at 40th Anniversary

Mackenzie emphasized that the foundation of CIE had always been rooted in the Gospel of Jesus, love for one another, and respect for humanity. 

“Following in the footsteps of those who founded South African Catholic schools, religious and values education continues to be the constant in our ever-changing world,” he added. 

Reflecting on the inception of CIE during a period of state-sponsored violence and apartheid resistance in South Africa, Mackenzie described the institution’s initial mission as providing essential support to teachers and Catholic schools, thereby “offering much-needed hope” to South Africans.

He further explained that the institute's original logo, a hand reaching out, symbolized its commitment to care and support for those most in need at that particular time.

Mackenzie said that even as South Africa transitioned to democracy in 1995, with the abolition of the death penalty and the drafting of a new Constitution, CIE remained steadfast in its mission. 

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“We continued our mission to bring hope to schools now besieged by HIV/AIDS, struggling to implement new curricula, and dealing with the lingering specter of racial and other violence,” he said.

Mackenzie noted that the advocacy efforts of CIE played a crucial role in the 1996 South African Schools Act, which recognized public schools on Church property as having a distinctive religious character. This, he said, allowed the institute to continue upholding its ethos and values. 

He noted that during the 2000s, the institute maintained its focus on fostering caring school environments, despite challenges he said were posed by government inaction on HIV/AIDS treatment and increasing corruption. 

Mackenzie recalled that, despite growing discontent among marginalized communities, the organization remained committed to transformation, extending its work to teachers and school leaders in South Africa and Lesotho. 

The evolving context, he noted, was reflected in a new logo featuring a circle of inclusion, reinforcing the institute’s continued outreach to those in need.

By 2015, as CIE marked its 30th anniversary, Mackenzie described the contrast between the aspirations of the first generation born into a free South Africa and the persistent realities of systemic corruption, institutional racism, xenophobia, and rising unemployment. 

In response to these challenges, he said, the institute deepened its commitment to peaceful solutions by introducing the Building Peaceful Schools program, alongside efforts to ensure child safeguarding within schools. 

“CIE had delved into the history of peaceful solutions to a violent world and developed the Building Peaceful Schools program to light the way in the gathering darkness, all the while focusing on keeping children safe in our schools through the Child Safeguarding program,” he said. 

He further noted that a new logo, inspired by the pilgrim’s shell symbolic of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, reflected CIE’s ongoing mission of shaping futures.

Looking ahead to 2025, Mackenzie acknowledged uncertainties but expressed a sense of hope, saying, “We are unsure, as we always have been, but we proceed in hope. We hope that we will be better than the atrocities of our shared past.”

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“We hope that peace will be our shared destination on our pilgrimage, no matter how difficult, violent, or dark things are around us,” he said in the video published on February 4.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.