Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
La Paz (Agenzia Fides) – Last July 13, the Head of the Education Department held a meeting for the institutionalization of directors’ positions in the public and private schools. This event has caught the attention of the private educational institutions that have an agreement established with the government, through the “Marco” Law, which includes – among other things – the ability to plan and direct their own educational activity.
With this in mind, the heads of various different private schools in the nation have sent a letter to the Education Department, expressing their concern for this meeting. The letter is signed, among others, by: the National Director of Don Bosco Schoold; the National Director of the Schools of Christ; the National Director of “Fe y Alegria”; the Director of CEIL El Alto; the Director of CEIL La Paz, and the Bishops’ Executive Secretary for Education.
The letter mentions that “the educational works of the Catholic Church have repeatedly called for the institutionalization of the positions of Director in its educational entities and have participated for six years with various governments, in the consensus process for legal requirements that guarantee the educational identity and quality of these institutions, and the right of parents in choosing to send their children to schools that will educate their children in the faith, aspirations, and values they want.” Thus, they ask that these repeated petitions be responded, because if they are not, the schools will be forced to take legal measures. In the meantime, “over 1500 Catholic schools will remain on call until the present petition is met with satisfactory response.”
Eduardo Gonzales, Executive Secretary of the Bishops’ Educational Committee (CEE) pointed out that for six years, the private institutions have been making their petition without receiving a response. “The last time that the institutionalization took place in 2001, the evaluation was performed by the Catholic University and took place alongside the institutionalization of the public school system,” he said. He also clarified that they are not requesting privileges, but simply asking that the agreement between the Catholic Church and the State be respected, in accord with the “Marco” Law. The agreement was approved last year by Cardinal Terrazas and President Morales. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 21/7/2008)
