Editorial

Catholic Institutes must learn the art of saying ‘NO’

Opinion | Editorial | John S. Shilshi | 14-Apr-2022

Catholics in North-East India account for less than 4% of the total population of the region, but for decades, they have had the privilege of shouldering a bulk of the education workload, particularly in respect of reaching out to remote and inaccessible corners with the purpose of reducing illiteracy. Without mincing words or exaggeration, the North–East India Regional Bishop’s Council, in its official website under ‘Education’ writes “The Catholic Church has invested considerable human and material resources in education, running some of the best education institutions in the region”. It takes pride in stating that foremost among the beneficiaries of these education missions are women, and that Catholic women - representing different congregations - run schools, colleges and hostels, championing the cause of education of tribal girls. The statement also highlights the inclusive policies that Catholic institutions have adopted in the intake of pupils, citing this as the prime reason for being accepted by the masses.

For a Church with a history of late footfall in many parts of the region, what it has achieved in the field of education thus far is indeed commendable. It is also worth noting that these Catholic institutions have churned out significant number of leaders in public life, who continue to uphold the human and moral values inculcated to them by their respective Alma Maters. Accolades showered on the Catholic Church as pioneers in spreading education footprints in the region therefore, are no mere lip service, but a proven fact which cannot be disputed. Had it not been for their service, the region would have been far behind other parts of India, in terms of literacy rate.

The glorious past and the acceptance that Catholic institutions enjoy is indeed enviable. However, there is a cautionary wind blowing across Catholic schools/colleges, in the form of increasing resentments, both from Catholics and non-Catholics alike; resentments that administrators should not brush aside as aberrations. These sentiments are not confined to one place, but widespread. We have been witnessing them in Shillong, Guwahati, Aizawl, Kohima, Imphal, Agartala, and Itanagar – almost all places where Catholic schools and colleges are located. Strangely, in terms of number of critics, institutes administered by the Nuns reportedly outnumber those managed by their male counterparts (Priests), as people who are critical of them count higher. This though is a little surprising, because normally the soft–speaking female administrators would generally be less offensive.

Needless to elaborate, Catholic-run schools and colleges are much sought-after institutes in the region, and also all over India. It is therefore, quite natural that parents of students who weren’t able to secure admissions for their sons and daughters are expected to be critical. However, a closer look at the reasons leading to people being resentful about dealings of the administrators has less to do with failure to accommodate the children, but more with the manner in which regrets are communicated. In other words, lack of finesse in conveying the inability to entertain requests seems to be the chief cause of resentment.

It needs mentioning that there are several Priests and Nuns who conduct meetings and handle operations exceedingly well, particularly with the right kind of training, and above all the ability to connect well with the world outside the spiritual realm. However, it is also true that while many Catholic institutes bask in the glory of their past and present work, efforts aren’t being made to fine-tune daily administrative work to adapt with changing times. Unlike the past decade, parents and guardians are now more educated and worldly wise, which means they make demands and seek valid explanations. Therefore, the need to infuse professionalism in dealing with the public is the crying need of the hour. Saying ‘No’ with grace and humility – that is an art Catholic institutes must learn.

---

---

Visitor comments

---

Leave a comment