Bishops in Mali Meet to Deliberate on Catholic Education’s “difficult period” in the Country

Bamako, 20 January, 2026 / 11:41 PM

One of the key talking points at the ongoing Plenary Assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Mali (CEM) is the state of Catholic education that the Bishops say is facing “a difficult period” in the country.

In an interview published on Tuesday, January 20, by the Vatican Media, the Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference said that at the January 19 to 22 Plenary, the Bishops are also discussing the financial situation of the Church, and appointments at the national level.

Fr. Abel Kassongué said that the Bishops will weigh in on the state of Catholic education, which in Mali is going through “a difficult period”, adding that a reflection on “the re-foundation of educational structures” is underway to strengthen “its stability and credibility.”

According to a report that the Catholic Pontifical and charity foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, released last year,  Catholic schools in Mali, which have played a significant role in the national education system, serving pupils of all religious backgrounds, are in danger.

The report indicates that under a 1972 agreement between the Malian government and the Bishops’ Conference, the state subsidized about 80 percent of teachers’ salaries in Church-run schools, even though Christians constitute only a small fraction of the population.

ACN reports that Muslim families in particular have valued these institutions for their academic quality and holistic approach to human formation.

However, the 2025 report indicates, long-standing financial support is rapidly unraveling as the Malian government announced plans to end subsidies at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, a move that partners and Church officials warned could plunge Catholic schools into crisis.

ACN said in the report that negotiations delayed the cut, but the threat remained, warning that without predictable funding, many institutions risk having to lay off teachers, scale back operations, or even close entirely.

The 2025 ACN report indicated that the challenges facing Catholic education in Mali are compounded by wider systemic issues affecting the country’s schools.

The report further says that years of conflict and instability have disrupted learning across the education sector, with attacks on schools and insecurity driving closures and interrupting schooling for hundreds of thousands of children.

According to the report, Church leaders and education advocates in Mali acknowledge that Catholic schools provide more than academic instruction; they foster peace, respect, and acceptance among pupils from diverse backgrounds. Such contributions to social cohesion are seen as especially vital in a country grappling with jihadist insurgencies and displacement.

In the January 20 interview with the Vatican Media, the CEM Secretary General urged Catholics to pray and to show “ecclesial solidarity” in support of Catholic education and social works across Mali.

Fr. Kassongué noted that the Church in Mali is operating in a “delicate” socio-political and security environment, which makes prayer and solidarity essential. He said the Plenary Assembly will serve mainly as a period of work, discernment, and pastoral guidance for the country’s bishops.

He further said that the central objective of the meeting is to evaluate the Church’s current financial position, identify the challenges it faces, and formulate realistic, solidarity-based measures to sustain the Church’s mission and credibility in Mali.

Fr. Kassongué said the Bishops will also receive and review reports on key Catholic institutions, including the Bamako unit of the Catholic University of West Africa and the Mali-Gavardo Hospital, described as a project supported by Italian volunteers and a source of hope for the health sector.

In addition to the institutional reviews, he said, the Bishops will make several appointments and renew contracts for national officeholders in various Church institutions.

According to the Vatican Media, the timing of the Plenary comes amid a particularly fragile national context, marked by instability, population displacements caused by jihadist groups, and economic hardships that have weakened social, educational, and health structures.

Fr. Kassongué said the Church is closely sharing in the people’s suffering, worries, and hopes, while discerning how to continue proclaiming the Gospel, promoting peace, fostering social cohesion, and serving the most vulnerable.