Archdiocese of Pretoria and
Diocese of Johannesburg
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Catholic
Schools Office Archdiocese of Pretoria and Diocese of Johannesburg |
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With decreasing
numbers of sisters and brothers from religious congregations
teaching, or even able to have a hands-on presence, in Catholic
schools, there was a need for religious congregations to establish a
guardianship with the laity that would ensure both the preservation
of what they had built up and the continuance and development of
Catholic Education. 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 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.
What we do The Catholic
Schools Office of the Archdioceses of Pretoria and Johannesburg serves the interests of Catholic
education. We carry
out the directives of the Catholic Schools Board in our member
schools. In
nurturing
the well-being of our member schools, we are guided by the Vision and
Direction Statements of the Second National Catholic Schools
Congress. Our main
concerns for our member schools are:
To
assist schools in these endeavours, the CSO offers various support
services and employs five full-time staff and a part-time secretary. The Catholic Schools
Office operates from an office located in The Haven building at Unity and collaboration
among Catholic schools We also seek
to promote unity of vision and collaboration among Catholic Schools.
One of the means for achieving this is the Catholic Schools
Councils (CSC) and their various groupings. Representation We
represent Catholic schools on various bodies:
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