Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Buenos Aires (Fides Service) - The Catholic Bishops of the Argentinean province of Buenos Aires has issued a statement listing certain fundamental points to be considered when drafting a new Provincial Education Law. Among the principles the Bishop mention "the inclusion of integral education based on the transcendent conception and the spiritual and religious dimension of the human person ". In this regard the Bishops emphasise that the Provincial Law must not contradict the Provincial Constitution which explicitly affirms that the goal of education is integral formation of the person including the transcendent dimension. They affirm that the new Law must guarantee explicitly the principle of freedom to teach sanctioned by the National Constitution and the Provincial Constitution and by the National Education Law and it must also recognise the inalienable right of the family to choose to educate their children according to their own philosophic and religious convictions, respecting the spiritual transcendent dimension of the person.
"As recognition of the social importance of the teacher's vocation and mission - the statement says - we claim the right of the Church and other privately run institutions to create and organise their own Teachers Training Colleges ". The Bishops also call for respect and guarantee according to the law in force of the functioning of one system of state education in two forms of schools state and private with equal funding for both. "With a positive spirit of dialogue we offer this clarification to contribute to the good of Education in the Province of Buenos Aires and throughout Argentina" the Bishops conclude. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 5/6/2007; righe 22, parole 285)
