These concerns were the impetus behind the establishment of the Catholic Schools Board (CSB), which, after four years of discussions, prayer, planning and meetings, was constitued by the Regional Leaders of the Religious Congregations in the Gauteng Province for the dioceses of Pretoria and Johannesburg . The first Annual General Meeting of the Catholic Schools Board was held at Cathedral Place in Johannesburg on 2 December 2002.
At a series of subsequent meetings during 2003, the CSB discussed with schools the challenges ahead and sought their support in what they were seeking to put in place for the future benefit of Catholic Education. Schools were asked to give financial support for a Catholic Schools Office which would be an amalgamation of the existing structures (the Catholic Education Council (CCE) in Pretoria and the Johannesburg Catholic Schools Council (JOCASCO) in Johannesburg) and be the “operational arm” of the Catholic Schools Board. This was not easy for some schools who were engaged in their own struggles for survival. Other schools, who were already paying heavy membership dues to other schools’ associations, raised questions about what the Catholic Schools Board and Catholic Schools Office would offer them.
With acknowledgement and understanding of what was at stake - the continued existence of all Catholic schools nationally, and the guardianship of their distinctive ethos and identity - doubts were put aside and schools accepted the challenges ahead by giving their wholehearted support to the Catholic Schools Board. Provision was made for the execution of the CSB’s decisions by establishing the Catholic Schools Office (CSO).
Premises were obtained for the Catholic Schools Office and staff was recruited. The office opened for business in January 2004.
There are a number of bodies in the Catholic Education network - Catholic School Proprietors Association, Catholic Schools Board, Catholic Schools Office, Catholic Schools Councils and Catholic Institute of Education.
The Catholic Schools Councils provide a forum for staff from member schools to come together for fellowship, to grow professionally, to collaborate on matters of common interest and to seek unity of vision.