{"id":24424,"date":"2026-04-06T19:47:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/?p=24424"},"modified":"2026-04-06T19:47:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:47:52","slug":"kenya-catholic-teachers-aim-to-deepen-learners-spirituality-at-12th-edition-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/kenya-catholic-teachers-aim-to-deepen-learners-spirituality-at-12th-edition-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"KENYA: Catholic Teachers Aim to Deepen Learners’ Spirituality at 12th Edition Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA<\/em><\/p>\n

Catholic school headteachers across Kenya are set to converge for the 12th edition of the Catholic Private Educational Institution Association (CaPEIA) annual conference, from 7-12 April, with a focus on nurturing the spiritual growth of learners at a time when rapid technological changes and social pressures are pulling young people away from faith-centred values.<\/p>\n

The hybrid conference, open to head teachers, deputies, and senior teachers alike, brings together Catholic school leaders under the theme Rooted in Faith, Rising with Purpose, a call for schools to go beyond academic excellence and actively invest in the moral and spiritual formation of their pupils and students.<\/p>\n

Speaking about the conference, Br. Elijah Agilo Osena, the National Chairperson for CaPEIA, said, “Our children need to grow in faith. A lot is going on in the world, and we don’t want them to forget their values.<\/p>\n

Asked about the significance of the 12th Edition in a video clip, Br. Agilo, who is also the Provincial Superior of the religious brothers of Our Lady of Mercy (CMM), narrated that the choice of the 12th edition is deeply symbolic.<\/p>\n

He draws a direct parallel between this milestone and the 12 disciples of Jesus, who were sent out to evangelize to the ends of the earth.<\/p>\n

“The 12th edition reminds us of the 12 disciples of Jesus, how they were sent to evangelize to the ends of the world,” Br. Agilo revealed and continued, “It is also the time for CaPEIA to add more members to the association for increased impact in society.”<\/p>\n

According to Br. Who has been a member of the executive of the association for the past ten years, the theme for the conference was born out of growing concern about the influence of technology on the morals of the young learners. With internet access and smartphones now nearly universal, Br. Agilo acknowledges both the opportunities and dangers they present.<\/p>\n

“Jesus embraced community and lived in fellowship with his disciples. With this in mind, we felt there was a great need to inspire the students and pupils in our schools towards growing their faith,” he explained and highlighted, “As much as the learners strive to be professionals or experts in different areas, we don’t want them to forget that there is someone who enables them to achieve their dreams.”<\/p>\n

To address these challenges practically, the former deputy national chairperson of CaPEIA said that Catholic schools are being encouraged to establish chaplaincy services.<\/p>\n

He noted that most Catholic schools do have regular Eucharistic celebrations and take catechism lessons seriously.<\/p>\n

Founded in 2015 under the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Commission for Education and Religious Education, CaPEIA was designed to be more than an administrative umbrella. Its core mission is to embed Gospel values: love, respect, honesty, and openness into the day-to-day running of Catholic private schools.<\/p>\n

“These values help to solve malpractices in exams, and through them, students can be helped to address challenges at hand,” Br. Agilo noted.<\/p>\n

The association is guided by its motto of Professionalism and Diligence, and it challenges school leaders to model the transformative values they seek to instil in learners. ‘How do we inspire these learners to become what they are capable of becoming in the future? How do we encourage them to unleash their potential so we can have transformative leaders, servant leaders, people who can think about others?’ Br. Agilo posed.<\/p>\n

Beyond spiritual formation, the conference will also tackle the growing impact of family instability on learners, which is increasingly affecting children’s mental health and academic performance.<\/p>\n

“At times, we question if schools are not giving a conducive environment to learners, but when we dig deep, we realise the problem originates from home,” he said.<\/p>\n

The conference will feature facilitators drawn from within the Church and the Ministry of Education, with sessions covering emerging issues such as the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) transition and institutional management.<\/p>\n

Br. Agilo credits the association with shaping him into a more informed and effective educational leader.<\/p>\n

“Being in the CaPEIA leadership has shaped me to be really informed. CaPEIA has given me a platform where I can know what is happening and what to use that information for,” he reflected. “This calls for the virtue of listening and teamwork to learn from others, which has enabled us to go the extra mile.”<\/p>\n

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