By Thokozani Chapola
On Thursday the 26th of January 2023, Bishop of the diocese of Mangochi, His Lordship Montfort Stima paid a surprise visit in some of the primary schools in the diocese. On this material day, the bishop who was accompanied by the Director of the Social Directorate Fr. Steven Namame and the diocesan education coordinator Mr. Felix Masamba, visited St. Augustine 1, 2 and 3 primary schools which are located within Mangochi town.
According to Bishop Stima, the aim of the visit was to appreciate the management of the schools, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the Christian churches and the Muslim religion following tensions that erupted between these two religious groups in the districts of Balaka, Mangochi and Machinga regarding the issue of wearing a hijab in schools.
Some of the notable points in the MoU were issues to do with allowing and not forcing learners to put on the hijab during class sessions; that the headteachers must be those that belong to the religion that owns the school and that the school proprietor should maintain an identity of their church and faith.
Speaking after the inspection, Bishop Stima expressed worry over the state that the schools are in, saying that they do not have an any identity that they are really Catholic schools. He also expressed shock after noting that no prayers are recited on daily basis in the schools during the assembly time which according to him, there is no difference between the Catholic schools and secular ones.
He further said that Catholic schools should have the following: a sign-post at the junction to indicate the name of the schools and the owner; a cross and a portrait of the bishop or Pope (as the head of the church) in the headteacher’s office; crosses in all classes and prayers of the Catholic Church recited during assembly on daily basis.
The bishop also hinted that discipline and hard work should be promoted in all Catholic schools in the diocese since these are the contributing factors for doing well during national examinations.
In response to this, headteacher for St. Augustine 2 primary school, Philemon Imwa indicated that it was just a matter of negligence but they will rectify the problem as soon as possible. But the Second Deputy Headteacher at St. Augustine 3 primary school, Mary Kachoka blamed lack of coordination between the teachers and the community members, for their failure to promote the Catholic identity at the school. However, the Diocesan Education Coordinator Mr. Felix Masamba pushed the blame towards the headteachers claiming that they have not been passing his messages to their teachers.
The Catholic diocese of Mangochi which comprises of the districts of Mangochi, Balaka and parts of Machinga district, has over 270 primary schools and about 30 secondary schools.
