UGANDA: Lira Diocese Celebrates Second Edition of Education Week
Rt Rev Sanctus Lino Wanok addressing teachers during Education Week in Lira diocese
Fr Isaac Ojok
Lira Diocese has celebrated its annual Education Week which commenced from 23rd to 27th September 2024, an event that was officially launched by Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok during a broadcast on Radio Wa, a diocesan radio station on 23rd September 2024.
This year’s education week that lasted for five days saw different primary, secondary, technical and other Catholic founded tertiary institutions participate in the different categories of Sports like Music, dance and drama (MDD), public speech competition and science fair among others.
Other activities during education week included a seminar for head teachers, deputy head teachers, directors of studies, and examination teachers, led by the National Religious Education Advisor at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat, Rev Sr. Milly Rose P’Loya, who also was a key speaker at the event.
The 2024 education week was celebrated under the theme, “We are called to Love and Serve,” an inspiration drawn from first letter of St John (1John 4:12).
Teachers to focus on instilling Catholic Values in learners
While meeting the school administrators during the seminar, the Bishop of Lira Diocese asked Teachers in Catholic schools in to instill in learners Catholic values to produce stable and responsible citizens in the country.
The Bishop explained that as teachers there is need to promote holistic formation of learners beginning from the moment of admission, asking teachers to put God first regardless of child’s religious denomination. He reiterated the need for quality education in all catholic founded institutions in Lira diocese.
“Teachers should monitor and see whether education is going on and taking place, they should induce, bring out the best of that particular child,” Bishop Wanok emphasized.
He said in the Catholic Church, original concept of education should be maintained in that it should go deeper within the context of what education means for humanity.
Need for government to provide learning aid
Fr. Dr. Polycarp Opio who represented the Bishop of Lira Diocese, Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok at the closure of education week said the theme of the event, aligns to God’s call to serve with humility, love and charity.
He said a call to serve with humility, love and charity are virtues that are most needed in today’s world saying that when we serve with dignity, we bring hope to the vulnerable especially the children in our communities and we eliminate injustices and create an environment of trust.
Fr. Polycarp called upon those in service especially teachers to instill morals as part of learning to build citizens with integrity, discipline and passion to extend service to those in need.
During his speech, he mentioned that the Diocese has a mission to cause a transformative change in the lives of the learners and that it calls for a collaborative effort.
Rev Sr. Milly Rose P’Loya (LSMIG) revealed that one of the key missions of the church is education and the church looks at an individual learner focusing on the holistic training given to the learners, the reason why the church emphasizes that all institutions be centers of academic excellence and spiritual formation.
She appreciated all the administrators and encouraged them to keep up the good work as the church counts on their leadership to achieve the objective of the mission.
A call for teachers to be concerned about formation of learners
The Diocesan education secretary, Rev. Sr. Agnes Atala, MSMMC, in her remarks commended the Bishop for his tireless efforts towards supporting education in Lira Diocese.
She said the reason the department is still moving on strongly is because Bishop Wanok has given the diocese the light of education.
“Don’t put money before any child under your care but be compassionate enough to teach and guide these learners, for your reward comes from them and God,” she urged the teachers.
She thanked all the schools that have contributed and participated to the success of the education week amidst the challenges that are being faced by the different schools.
Education as the gate way to the future
The District Education Officer Kole District, Mr Tom Okare said education is the passport to the future and the future belongs to those who prepare themselves through education. He appealed to both learners and teachers not to take education lightly, calling on the head teachers to be exemplary.
Okare also asked parents to take up their responsibilities, and not leave everything to the teachers alone. He said some parents do not even care to check on how their children are performing in school, but that it is timely for parents and guardians to support their children with scholastic materials, because parents are the first teachers to their children.
The education week saw schools awarded with certificates of merit, participation and best remitters of the foundation body fees and trophies.
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