A discussion with the Catholic Church was held yesterday afternoon (21) at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Krishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The discussions focused on several key issues, including the administrative challenges faced by Catholic schools taken over by the government, the preparation of a teaching staff framework for Catholicism, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession, and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain support from the Ministry of Education for the activities of government-taken-over Catholic schools.
During the meeting, it was decided to hold discussions with the Catholic Church three times a year. It was also decided that Senior Additional Secretary to the President Mr. Roshan Gamage would serve as the secretary for these discussions.
His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith expressed his gratitude to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the government on behalf of the Catholic Church for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that it is his aspiration to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to learn their religion without discrimination, while also emphasizing the need to resolve the current issues affecting the education sector.
His Eminence Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, His Eminence Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, His Eminence Bishop Anton Ranjith, His Eminence Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, members of the Catholic Church, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, and a group of senior ministry officials were also present at the occasion.
