Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Honiara (Agenzia Fides) - Education of children as they grow and develop and young people as they mature is a delicate task. The Catholic Church in Solomon Islands continues to hold study seminaries, refresher courses and specialisation courses for Catholic school teachers in order to maintain high quality education for which Catholic schools are renowned. Recently the archdiocese of Honiara held a seminary for 60 teachers in the diocese. Famous lecturers, some even from abroad, illustrated about new didactic methods, approaches to education, ways of helping students to mature. The work was introduced by Cyprian Nuake, head of the diocesan Commission for Catholic Education who underlined the responsibility of teachers who are called to prepare the new generations by drawing out the young person's potential and lead them to human and spiritual maturity.
The participants recalled the efforts of the local Catholic community to promote development in Solomons. The country has a population of 450,000 and 50% is under 18 years old. Only 20-25% goes to school and of these only 35% goes on to secondary school. Cultural formation for young people, important for the progress of the nation, calls for united effort on the part of private and state schools, civil society organisations as well as confessional schools and institutes.
The Catholic Church runs schools of every grade and also Catholic Formation Centres called Styvadima, to promote education and development in rural areas. These centres, run by lay Catholics, some former Catholic school pupils have operated for over 20 years at the service of the most isolated communities, still deeply rooted in tribal traditions and far from technological, cultural and civil development. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 8/10/2007 righe 27 parole 279)
