By Soroj Mullick, SDB –
Faced with multiple pressures with the institutional administration, care and attention are to be given to the Catholic children, especially the poor for the Church plays pioneering roles in education with concern for the poor and the marginalized. Principals and teachers will have to show compassion for the needy and a heart for the poor. There has to be participatory management in collaboration with the staff, training them and seeking their full participation in the mission with full cooperation.
Importance has to be given to networking and collaborating together with the CBCI national office for Education and Culture to carry out this important educative mission of the Church effectively and be at the service of all to help and promote in every possible way the mission of education.
Generally the Christian Churches “help those who are in need” (2 Cor 8:13) and try to be not just a “Church for the poor but the Church of the poor” (CEP, 5). This would mean, “being with the poor in their daily experience of poverty, injustice and oppression (…) To realize this objective, the Church should join other people of goodwill and work towards the transformation of the structures like caste and class that cause and perpetuate poverty, injustice and oppression” (CBCI 2002, II. C). The Nation too affirmed that the poor would have equal education opportunity “at all stages and levels of education, in all areas and in all the four dimensions” (National Policy on Education, 1986, 4.3).
A collaborative approach among the heads of the dioceses, Religious Congregations, and other Christian educational institutes were expected to evolve based on mutually agreed contract, drawn up on equitable terms. This is meant to promote inter-dependence, different roles and responsibilities (CEP, 5.1).
Qualified and competent staff, “who are sensitive to the care for the marginalized and who provide ‘quality education’”, are recommended (CEP 5.2). At the same time their interests along with just salaries are safeguarded (CEP, 5.3). The management deplores “all attempts to commercialize education” and does not accept capitation fees (CBCI 2006, 8.3).
Schools and colleges are not profit-making institutes (CEP, 5.4) Frequent additional money collection is avoided. Scholarships and concessions are provided with for the economically needy students. The management sees to a “creative new solutions to generate additional funds to continue to serve the poor” in a participatory and transparent manner. (CEP, 5.5).
The campuses are ‘open institutions’ that are available as community resources, providing with all its facilities, for use by the local community (CEP 5.6). Besides, “We ensure that students and the whole institutional community accept and practise gender sensitivity, equity and equality” (CEP 5.7) and firm actions are taken when gender-based discrimination or sexual abuses take place.
Education is for human welfare and is centred on the human person and on his/her inalienable rights, on justice and peace based on solidarity (CEP 5.8). Going beyond the academic prestige, it fosters human values and spiritual maturity (CEP 5.9) through self-development programmes, a code of conduct and an evaluation mechanism (CEP 5.10) executed through transparency and accountability while respecting one’s freedom and autonomy.
This way, Christian education “maintains an integrity and remains a credible witness in society through commitment and practice which become sources of inspiration and powerful witnesses in a corrupt society” (CEP 5.11).
It is proper that most of the members of management and administration including the staff be Christians in order to maintain Christian ethos, values and traditions. Therefore, efforts have to be made to identify and recruit Chris¬tian teachers who are well equipped with Christian faith and spirit. Special train¬ing needs to be given in these matters.
The parents should be made aware of the Christian Education Policy and on the Minor¬ity Rights. Christian educational institutions has been losing its credibility. In spite of thousands of Christian schools, all Christians are not literate. Many Christian Minority Institutions brought in class system into the Church by not admitting students from the Christian backward classes.
Policy has to be put in place to make all Christian literate. Good Christian students are to be identified study for civil service in the executive, legislative, judicial and administrative fields. The Christian educational management ought to implement these proposals with commitment.
In short, the Christian witness of love must be reflected in the administration of Christian institutions in dealing with the parents, students and teachers. Consequently, the Churches will influence the state policy on education in the national and state levels in line with Christian Education Policy.
Leadership for educational mission through good management is not one of control and discipline, but it makes education a transformative process. Good leaders promote the dignity of each person and teach the students to live, to discover the meaning of life and of transcendence, to relate with others, love creation, think freely and critically.
Positive leadership by the principals and heads of institutions demands practical adaptability of good leaders, not mere managers and administrators, in order to bring about organizational development. They have to animate, motivate, facilitate, integrate, and coordinate by means of collaborative team work and synergy, through participation, cooperation, decentralization of power and capacity building. Such a mentor-leader (SMART leader) is impartial, unbiased and just; not dominating but democratic, inspired by commitment for convictions.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources Development (May 2006), had identified five important issues facing the education system: Access and equity, Relevance, Quality and Excellence, Governance and Management, and Funding. The Christian education system and the managements of the Christian educational institutions are called upon to examine how they are addressing them, through SWOT analysis, followed by a Planning- Implementing – Monitoring – Evaluating process.
To be continued…
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].