And he tells what he learnt through his own Catholic education.

Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said there was a need to empower students as they face social issues impacting them today.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said this at the opening of the Catholic Head Teachers, Principals and Managers conference at St Joseph’s Secondary School yesterday.

He said it was always interesting how high schools played a big role and influence a person’s life.

He said there was a need to have a holistic approach to issues such as teenage pregnancies or other social issues impacting students.

He said if a person was able to talk about those issues from a sense of empowerment, and talk about planning their life, then children/students would be able to get more support and have a higher level of income.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted various key issues such as climate change effects, the need to involve students in budget consultations and the need to empower students.

He said climate change has a direct impact for schools in Fiji and alternative methods must be looked into for people to access livelihoods.

“It is not about a single climatic event like a terrible cyclone, but it is all about the everyday changes,” he said.

He also advised on the various scholarships available in Fiji and the opportunities students have in order to complete their education.

“The whole idea is about empowering them and that is very critical.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum recalled his youth as a student of Saint Joan of Arc in Sigatoka, Marist Brothers Primary School and Marist Brothers High School in Suva.

He said Catholic education taught one to value speaking the truth, irrespective of how the truth sounds. In reality there are a number of things happening that needs to be discussed openly and freely.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Government was keen to work with faith-based organisations to ensure that service delivery from schools was delivered in a proper manner with the right tools and the right level of financing.

Meanwhile, more than 70 teachers and managers from Catholic schools in Fiji attended.

Archbishop Peter Loy Chong said the conference was an annual event that brought teachers and managers together to give them overview of what they were facing and what was actually happening on the ground.

He said it was important to hear from the teachers.

The Archbishop and the Editor Communications for Catholic Times John Pickering spoke on the importance of understanding Catholic education, its context today and challenges.

The conference ends today.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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