Priest tells children: Home is your school too

A Roman Catholic priest is encouraging children o embrace their commitment to education as they prepare to return to schools but virtually from their homes come September 1.

Schools were closed in March due to the covid19 pandemic but because of a second wave of the virus, the Ministry of Education has decided to operate online classes until December.

In an open letter, Monsignor Christian Pereria said there are options available to students as schools have different arrangements in place.

“Please understand what is available to you and do your best to make it work for your betterment. There is a long road ahead for you and to begin that journey you must resume your education now," Pereira said.

"This is Independence weekend and usually this weekend is the last before you start your new school year. It is a very different school year, and I am sure that many of you are apprehensive as you are starting this year from home.”

Home and school, he noted, have been two different environments, but for now, “Home is the place where you live, play, and learn. School is wherever you learn, and your teacher is the person from whom or through whom you learn.”

He emphasised that their learning environment does not have to be a building with desks, classrooms, a library or audio-visual rooms and laboratories.

“Your learning environment is where you are, the place where you live, the environment to which you are confined. You create the place where you live and the environment to which you are confined this is the ‘real school’. You need to allow yourself to be focused, nurturing your creative juices, allowing yourself to experience that deep self-fulfilment of education. The ‘real teacher’ must be as loving as a parent is expected to be, and the ‘real parent’ must be as enabling as your teacher ought to be.”

Pereira told parents this is the time to discover their true ability and to the children, “this is a time to be amazed about how great your parent is and how great you are.”

Advising them to be inspired by Nobel Peace Prize winner Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai, Pereria told the students they can overcome any challenge.

“Let September be the opening of your mind and heart to the pursuit of your dreams. Do not be distracted by frustration within yourself or the confusion in the outer society. Please embrace your goals, embrace your future, and allow yourself to step up to the new challenge of becoming an educated person despite your challenges.”