Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
La Paz (Agenzia Fides) - Representatives of the Bolivian ministry of education and the country’s Bishops’ Commission for Catholic Education have ratified a state/Church agreement to guarantee Catholic religious instruction in schools. The agreement was reached in Cochabamba after several months of argument about the new education Bill with which the government was promoting a secular and pluralist education, eliminating religion as a subject, to put an end to what it termed ‘Catholic monopoly’ (see Fides 7/12/2006; 12/10/2006; 17/7/2006; 21/7/2006). Present for the occasion the minister and vice minister of education, and two bishops, the Archbishop of Cochabamba Tito Solari and the president of the Bishops’ Conference Bishop Luis Sáinz Hinojosa.
The agreement will guarantee full freedom of religion in Bolivia with respect for the diversities; religion as a subject in the national curriculum validated by the state/Church education agreement; validity and function of private universities with the framework of state laws; the state will continue through the ministry of education and culture to work together with the local Catholic Church to improve programmes of education and health; the ministry of education is committed to ongoing dialogue and regular meetings with the local Church. Bishop Luis Sáinz Hinojosa, said the Church and the government "will enrich the new education law to guarantee education for all children, especially the poorest ". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 27/2/2007; righe 22, parole 290)
