Agency calls for government backing

 THE Bereina Catholic Diocese hopes to receive financial support from the government to help the church in providing services in education and health in Goilala, Central.

The  Diocese’s Vicar for education, Fr Brian Cahill said the church was the main provider of education and health services in the district. 

He said the church, despite the lack of funding from the government, had  carried the burden of providing these services to the people.

Fr Cahill said  since 2004 the Diocese of Bereina had been recruiting  suitably qualified Grade 12 leavers from the district to be trained as teachers.

From this programme, more than 50 teachers have graduated. Their  fees were paid for by the diocese from funding provided by donor agencies. 

“There has been no funding in support for this programme from any member or district funds,” he said. 

The Sacred Heart Teachers College in Bomana which specialises in training teachers for remote rural areas was an initiative of the diocese.

.“The member for Goilala Daniel Mona committed K72,000 this year for 13 first-year teacher trainees. But  to this date nothing has been received,” Fr Cahill said. 

The college graduate 20 teachers in its first three years who have  been deployed to Goilala.

“This teachers college represents a substantial investment on the part of the diocese, for which support from the member and district funds would be greatly appreciated given the fact that Goilala is the main beneficiary,” Fr Cahill said. 

Mona could not be reached for comments.