Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Antananarivo (Fides Service)- “If Catholic missionaries, sisters, priests and lay people were to suddenly pull out Madagascar’s healthcare and schoo systems would collapse immediately” said Italian Salelisan Fr Cosimo Alvati, director of Radio don Bosco in Madagascar. “In fact the Catholic community here provides a capillary service of high quality instruction. The same is true in the field of medical care” said Fr. Alvati. “In fact whenever a new Catholic mission is opened it always includes dispensary and a school which means that even people in the most remote and isolated areas of Madagascar are guaranteed a minimum of education and healthcare”.
In recent years the government launched a programme to encourge parents to send chidlren to school which included the distribution of school kits (pens and books). The programme was more than successful; indeed the affluence of pupils was too much for state schools. “The national school system has two problems” said Fr Alvati. “First of all there are many areas without a school, particularly remote areas. And secondly there are not enough qualified teachers. The extreme poverty of a greater part of the people is another obstacle to education. Families need children at home to work in the fields. In some areas during the harvest season teachers actually allow pupils to stay away from lessons to help the family. Another problem is that many children cannot go to school because the nearest is 10-15 km away”.
“So the local Catholic Church stands in for the government, particularly in remote areas” the missionary said. “Mission districts are ofen vast and include several villages. This is why Catholic Missions nearly all have hostels where pupils from outlying villages stay during the week. The mission provides board and lodging and education thanks mainly to donations at a distance: 30 Euro a month is enough to guarantee instruction for a young Malagasy boy or girl”.
Catholic missionaries have built primary, middle and high schools in areas where the government is unable to provide even elementary classes.
Statistics regarding Catholics schools in Madagascar according to the Catholic Church Year Book 2003 are the following: 749 kindergartens with 44,167 children; 2,479 primary schools with 332,811 pupilsi; 372 middle schools with 88,959 pupils; and various Catholic high schools educate 1,327 students. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/9/2005 righe 38 parole 466)
