Teachers gather to mark day

By ROSELYN ELLISON

MORE than 700 Catholic teachers in East Sepik celebrated Catholic Teachers Day at St Mary’s Primary School in Wewak last Friday.

The Catholic Church in the province has 119 primary, three secondary and two high schools.

Teachers from the six districts were told by Bishop Chief Anthon Burgess that they had an important profession requiring high moral and ethics.

“You are entrusted by society for the future generation, the most valuable resource we have in Papua New Guinea,” Burgess said. 

He said PNG was blessed with resources such as gas, minerals and coffee but young people were more important.

“Teachers are important leaders in our community, probably more important than our political leaders,” he said.

He told the teachers that they shaped young people who were the future leaders.

“The values your students use, the judgements they make will be what they learn from you,” Burgess said.

He said as Catholic teachers, they could do things together and build a better world.

Principal adviser for education in the province Joseph Auli thanked the Catholic Church for being a major partner in education in East Sepik. Auli said teaching was an art, a vocation and a ministry.

The Catholic Teachers Day is an annual event that is celebrated on May 14.