PANJIM: The Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filip Neri Ferrao has appealed to the educational establishments to emphasize on the removal of disparities and to equalize education opportunities for all.
“It is my earnest wish that our schools and colleges should be houses where the poor are accepted as gifts of love and they all are treated with equality and justice. God loves everyone in the same measure. Our educational institutions must reflect this love which admits of no discrimination on any grounds,” he said while speaking at the All Goa Catholic Educational Institutions Day celebration, organized by the Archdiocesan Board of Education at Kala Academy on Wednesday.
“It is only by offering equal opportunities to every student and refraining from making any distinctions on the basis of intelligence or any other quality, that we shall be able to promote true education and freedom,” he further said.
With the theme chosen for the annual celebration as ‘anointed to serve the poor through education,’ he maintained that Churches’ love for the poor is a part of a constant tradition. He cited the catechism of the Catholic Church which says that educational institutions are important instruments in making this love reach the poor in the concreteness of their daily life.
“In fact, especially in our country, in our State, the Church has been carrying out this mission with great dedication particularly for the benefit of the poor, the disadvantaged, and the downtrodden,” the Archbishop said as he addressed a huge gathering of teaching and non-teaching staff, and the students
He also asserted that promotion of a person irrespective of creed or class is the goal of the Catholic educational establishment.
The Archbishop further read paragraph 3.9 of All India Catholic Educational Policy that speaks about responsibility of education of the poor and marginalized society. “We assume the responsibility for the education of the poor and the marginalized in our institutions, as an essential part of our contribution to build an inclusive and just society. In our Indian context the marginalized would include the Dalits, Tribals, rural poor, slum dwellers, migrants, child labourers, un-organized labour, etc. We make available to them well-qualified teachers, who understand their culture and background and are committed to them. By becoming self-empowered, they will then contribute to build a just, humane and democratic India,” he said quoting the paragraph.
He also claimed that while Goa Church is proud to be an important stakeholder and collaborator in this whole process, it is also ‘always conscious of enormous challenges that are result of rapid social economic and cultural changes taking place amidst us.’
