Caribbean Community Catholic Education

According to the Antilles Episcopal Conference, they hope to effect a survey on Catholic Education in the Eastern Caribbean islands. I hope they are successful in promoting sound education that would create good catholics and willing canidates for religious life.

The following article is from the AEC website dated Monday 4th February was written by Mike James:

“Catholic education institutions transforming Caribbean societies”

The above vision statement was developed at a January 22-23 Meeting of the Commission at St. John Vianney Seminary attended by Commission Chairman Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of Roseau Dominica and Bishop Jason Gordon of Bridgetown Barbados and Kingstown St. Vincent, as well as members Claudette Rolle, Director of Catholic Education in the Bahamas; Raymonde Joseph, Coordinator for Catholic Education in St. Lucia; Celia Nicholas, President of the Dominica Association of Teachers; and Sharon Mangroo, CEO of the Catholic Education Board of Management (CEBM) and former Chief Education Officer of Trinidad and Tobago.

The meeting also developed a proposed Mission statement for the AEC Education Commission.
“To provide the framework for our Catholic education institutions to form Disciples of Christ and leaders in society
The Catholic educators were convinced that the core business of Catholic education is formation and they prepared a series of proposed (Goals) for the Commission in the following (Key Responsibility Areas) of support to Catholic education in the region:

Governance: Develop and provide a Governance Framework to facilitate the prudent management of our diocesan education institutions

Values: Develop and provide a values framework in keeping with the gospel and Catholic tradition to transform Catholic institutions to faith communities of living witnesses

Formation: Develop and provide a formation framework so that our Catholic education institutions will be proficient in forming this generation into Disciples of Christ and good citizens

Curriculum: Develop and provide a curriculum framework and classroom management competencies to ensure achievement of high standards of learning so that all children, especially the most vulnerable. can achieve their full potential

The Commission also agreed to complete and publish the results of a survey of Catholic Education in the region which will include a summary of the number of students of all Faiths including Catholics, who are served by Catholic education institutions across the region.
One highlight of the meeting was the very positive appraisal given to the focus and content of Caricom (Caribbean Community)  Governments’ “Ideal Caricom Person” profile and particularly its emphasis on family values. The Commission proposed the “integration of the CARICOM ‘Ideal Caribbean person’ statement into our value system to facilitate renewal of Caribbean culture.”

The draft proposals for the mission and goals of the AEC Education Commission in the 21st Century in the Caribbean are to be submitted to next Annual Plenary Meeting of the Bishops of the AEC in Guadeloupe in April 2013 for their review and endorsement for follow up in individual dioceses in the region.