The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1956-12-28

Father Moerman pointed out
in an exclusive interview here
that Catholic and Protestant
missionary groups ran all fhs
schools in the Congo for 20
years at fhs request Of fhe Bel.
gisn government. Up 10 two
years ago, the priest added.
even most public schools were
conducted by members OF reii.
gious orders. BY 1854, there
were public schools not oper-
sted by religious, but these con-
stituted . small minority.
In the case of all such schools,
the initial building costs were
met by the government, and an
( agreement was reached between
the government and the superiors
| Of the religious congregations con,
cerned with regard to mainten-
ance and operating expenses.
Until 1926, Catholic schools in
the colonies did not receive any
government aid at all. Govern.
ment subsidies began in 1926, and
were granted to schools with Off
cial, State recognized curricula
only. Seminaries and catechist
training schools did not receive
financial aid.
The operating expenses of the
schools were covered up to SO
per cent by government finances,
and very few schools received as
sistance with their initial build
ing costs.
Only during the past few years
has government aid been substan-
tial.
State grants now cover 20 70
80 per cent OF building ex-
penses. II q teacher in . csthe-
lie school is a native congoIese.
and has a recognized teachers
diploma, his salary will be COW
cred entirely by the govern
ment. IL, on the other hand. ne
does not have the necessary d.
pIoma, but only qualifying
certificate, obtained after twc
years OF pedagogical training,
The school receives from 30 to
90 per cent of his salary.
| Though these subsidies, on the
surface, seem quite adequate, the
Catholic schools in the Belgian
colonies still labor under difficult
4 financial burdens.
Religious teaching in high
school for natives receives a flat
rate of salary, regardless of their
degrees. Furthermore his own re
ligious order must pay for his
housing, food and other necessit'
les. A lay teacher, working IN a
state school, receives at least
three times as much per year, as
well as having his housing sup
piled free by the government. He
also receives free medical care
and trip back, to Europe, at gov
ernment expenses, once a year.
Father Moerman said that the
estimated number of pupils at
Catholic schools is about one mil
lion. This figure means, the priest
continued, that Catholic educa-
tional institutions in the Belgian
Congo and Ruanda-Urundi have
about one-fifth of all the students
entrusted to Catholic schools in
Africa and Asia.
The large enrollments in the
schools, said f a t h er Norman,
may be due to the fact that par
ents in the colonies consider 1t a
calamity when no place can be
found for their child in Catho-
lie school. The Africans have a
great respect and love for know
ledge, and are extremely anxious
that their children get as good an
eucation as possible.
One other point connected with
the large enrollments W h c h
the priest pointed out is the need
for more and larger facilities.
The difficulty has increased since
parents began sending their
daughters to school as we'll as
their sons. The ratio of boys to
girls in the schools is about three
to one. Because of the large reg
istration in Leopoldville alone,
said Father Moerman, it was nee
essary during this past year to
build 1876 new classrooms.
At present, there are 1876
schools of domestic science for
girls in the colonies with regis
trations of over 1000 girls.
For some time, continued the
priest, state operated schools
were accepted by the native popu-
lation. State officials told parents
that state school education as
sures their children a better and
more successful future. Further
more, said Father Moerman, gov
ernment officials often said that
the ''monperes", as the Fathers
of the mission schools are called
by the natives, were exploiting
children for their own selfish
ends.
One important argument that
the state officials used against
Catholic schools was that the mis-
sionaries are allegedly opposed