New training program aims to up education standards in North and South Sulawesi and Maluku provinces
Participants of a gathering of Catholic education councils and diocesan commissions for education in the Makassar-Amboina-Manado region pose for a photo. (Photo supplied by Father Revi Tanod)
By Konradus Epa
Education councils and diocesan education commissions from three Indonesian church jurisdictions want Catholic teachers at both church and state-run schools to be provided with skills training to improve teaching quality.
The recommendation came at a three-day gathering involving Catholic education officials from Makassar Archdiocese, as well as Amboina and Manado dioceses from March 9-11 in Tomohon, North Sulawesi.
The jurisdictions cover North and South Sulawesi and Maluku provinces.
"The main problem is that the quality of Catholic teachers is pretty low. Therefore, they should be provided with skills training," Father Revi Tanod, chairman of Manado Diocese's education commission, told ucanews.com.
Father Tanod said an information center would be established to train Catholic teachers.
"We will establish a team on integral curriculum development in the region to cooperate with the National Council of Catholic Education," said Father Tanod.
He said in one year the team would design a new integral curriculum to replace a 2013 curriculum from government.
"We will include church social teachings on love, justice, solidarity, and honesty in the curriculum," he said.
He hoped the local dioceses would support the education plan because education is one of the Catholic Church's main missions.
There are about 500 Catholic schools in the three dioceses.
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