Archbishop Imbamba expressed hope that the Jun 3-6 General Assembly “produces enlightening ideas that enable us to always be a transforming and innovative presence in the educational project suitable for our country.”
Organized under the theme, “50 Years of Independence: A Look at the Contribution of Catholic Schools to the Quality of Education in Angola,” the General Assembly brings together delegates from all 20 Dioceses of Angola.
Delegates reflect on topics such as the role of Catholic schools in citizenship formation and values, the relationship between family and Catholic education, women’s empowerment, and the future of Catholic schools in light of global and African education pacts.
In his keynote address during the opening ceremony of the event, the President of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education at CEAST called for a renewed commitment to the Church’s educational mission; one that shapes a society grounded in truth, justice, and the dignity of the human person.
“The Catholic school wants to promote men and women who live in and continue building Angola with holy pride, promoting without reservation the dignity of the human person, justice, the common good, and the protection of creation,” Bishop Joaquim Nhanganga Tyombe of Angola’s Uije Diocese said on June 3.
Bishop Tyombe emphasized that the Church’s involvement in education is more than administration—it is a work of mission.
“The efforts of our administration, the teaching, and the accompaniment are exercises of pastoral care, evangelization, and sanctification,” the Catholic Church leader said.
On his part, the Governor of Lunda Sul Province, Daniel Félix Neto, expressed the government's commitment to collaborating with the Church.
“Because the Catholic Church is a privileged partner of the Angolan government in evangelization, moral and civic education, and the instruction of children, adolescents, youth, and adults, we cannot face the challenges of the mission to educate today or in the future unless we stand together, now and always,” Mr. Neto said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continue working to “meet the needs of the majority of our population, especially students, despite the constraints created by the economic situation we are still going through.”
