MALAWI: ECM Calls for Christ-centered Education in Its Learning Schools

By Sam Kalimba

The National Coordinator for the Education Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Brother Pascal Mtuwana has appealed to board members of Catholic secondary schools to ensure that their institutions reflect the life of Jesus Christ.

Brother Mtuwana was speaking at an induction workshop of board members organized by the Education Commission for the Archdiocese of Lilongwe on 10^th April, 2021 at Msamba Catholic center in Lilongwe.

He said, “The purpose of Catholic Education is to provide a good all-round education in the spirit of the gospel of Jesus aspiring in particular to live out its central message and challenge to worship the God who loves us; to love and help our fellow beings and to learn to exercise responsibility in the world around us,” quoting the Catholic Education Policy at ECM.

He said that Catholic schools educate and return students to society with a greater understanding of the Catholic Church’s view on living a Christian life in a global world. He further argued that Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic school thereby asking the board members to ensure making decisions and policies that are illumined by the light of faith and permeated with the Gospel.

“Every member of the board has to play an important role in nurturing and strengthening the Catholic culture of the institutions. Therefore, each board member is challenged to be aware of the joys and sorrows, the celebrations and struggles of the families served by the institutions,” said Brother Ntuwana.

He quoted Pope John Paul II who, he said that any decision-making or pastoral planning must be grounded in contemplation and prayer (Novo Millennio Inneunte, n.15). Borrowing from this teaching, Bro. Ntuwana asked the participants to ensure that their meetings allow for time of prayer and reflection – both inside their meetings and beyond them despite the fact that the meetings will be filled with many agenda items.

“Any role of leadership in the Church demands a capacity to discern the signs of the times as they present themselves in the life of the community. Bring in the spirit of prayer and reflection as you undertake your responsibilities as members of the Board of Governors is therefore a matter of critical importance,” ECM’s National Education Coordinator taught.

He encouraged them to fully commit to support their institutions on behalf of the local Ordinary.

“Your membership on the board is a sign that you have been entrusted with a significant position of leadership in the institution. Your service to the Board is an example of a positive response to the Vatican Council II’s call for all the people of God to participate in the life of the Church (Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, n. 2),” he said.

He however, said that serving on a Catholic school board is a ministry and that members must provide a service for the institution and never be motivated to serve on a board for accomplishing personal agenda nor personal favours.

He advised the newly inducted board members to ensure that they fulfill the expectations of the Church, that is to establish centres of excellence in Catholic institutions by providing leadership, direction, and support the structures at their institutions.

In her remarks, Education Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Lilongwe Mrs. Chrissie Chisamba Mithi expressed hope that the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese will improve with the coming in of the new board members.

“We are grateful to the Lord for having these men and women accept the call to be board members. Our work at the Commission will be simplified if they will really take heed and make use of the training in their various communities. What it means is that we now have a complete set of structure that allows for good governance,” she said.

She also reported that all the Catholic secondary schools in the Archdiocese scored 100% pass rate in the just released Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examination results for 2020/201 academic year and that one of the two best students who attained 6 points comes from Likuni Boys Catholic Secondary School.

The induction workshop had priests, nuns, and the lay faithful in boards for Catholic schools including Likuni Girls Secondary School, Likuni Boys Secondary School, Ludzi Girls Secondary School, Namitete Technical College and St. Maria Goretti Secondary School.

Also, in attendance was the board for Likuni Press and Publishing House (LPPH).