Catholic Educators Continue to Discuss Educational Policy
(July 24, 2008) In efforts to streamline the Catholic Church’s National Education
Policy, bishops’ education commission has organized another five-day national workshop
in Hyderabad. The workshop of some 40 school authorities from across the India concluded
on July 18, with a consensus to make effective use of their institutions for the advancement
of the poor. The CBCI Commission for Education and culture organized the workshop
in Don Bosco Provincial House, Hyderabad. Fr Tom Kunnankal sj, who founded the National
Institute for Open Schooling, was the main resource person. Commission secretary Fr
Kuriala spoke on the Catholic Education Policy released in 2007. Fr Joe Arimpoor sdb,
the Youth Pastoral delegate of the Delhi Salesian Province also helped in effort to
concretize the policy in practical terms. These three resource persons helped the
educationalists move to action, based on the Educational policy. Fr Kuriala, time
and again, reiterated the need to envision the school beyond the four walls of our
institutions and to view education as much beyond fees and textbooks. Following the
policy’s thrust to provide quality and relevant education to the poor and nurture
the spiritual dimension of all students, the participants decided to work for the
poor.