CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction to the study

This study focuses on how secularisation of Catholic-Founded schools in Kampala Archdiocese has impacted on their performance. Catholic schools in Uganda operates within the catholic mission character and identity, which accordingly continues to emanate from Jesus Christ’s command to his apostles and the church “go, teach, make disciples” (Mathew 28:18-26). Therefore, the fundamental purpose of Catholic Education is to articulate the Christian message and its inherent values, to cherish, keep and transmit the “culture of the sacred in the secular world”. As time goes by, more and more Catholic-Founded schools are becoming government-managed and government controlled. This is a prerequisite for government aid.

The study investigated and found that this trend has had significant implications on educational standards of Government-aided secondary schools. Among the most common cited consequences are declines in student discipline, morality, and compromise of several of the positive ideals of the founders. The study investigated in detail the impact that secularisation has had on the educational and moral performance of Catholic-Founded secondary schools in a bid to establish whether secularisation is leading the schools in the right path. The study was not an attempt to present a case for religious sectarianism through implying that Catholic-founded schools ought to be exclusively Catholic-managed and catholic staffed.

1.2 Background to the study

The beginning of formal Western education in Uganda and its evolution, like in some other African countries, owed entirely to the various western Protestant and Roman Catholic Church Societies’ initiative and endeavours, guided by evangelistic zeal. The Protestant and Roman Catholic Missionaries

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showed determination “to spread churches and schools in whole Uganda as fast as possible” (Nsereko-Munakukaama 1997:1), in which case the pace and mode of expansion of the missionary churches determined the pattern of establishment of schools in the different parts of the country. The pattern was most manifest with regard to high schools. The (Anglican) Church Missionary Society (CMS), which arrived in Uganda in 1877 and eventually established its head quarters at Namirembe Hill, Opened Mengo High School in 1903, Gayaza Girls’ High School in 1905 and King’s College Buddo in 1906 among others. The White Fathers (Roman Catholic), who arrived in 1879 and their headquarters at Lubaga Hill, opened St. Mary’s College Lubaga in 1908, which started as a central school to serve the Lubaga Diocese and later in 1923 moved to Kisubi, hence the beginning of Kisubi group of schools, such as St. Henry’s Kitovu, St. John’s Nandere, St. Leo’s Virik, and so forth.

Education is one of the sectors that are of paramount significance in the integral development of nations and in the advancement of social and individual wellbeing world over. In catholic circle, the major debate centres around the issue of values, discipline of teachers and students and the implied survival of catholic tradition in these schools (Mugagga & Genza 2011:730) The church, in general, found it part and parcel of its mission to engage in education in order to impart spiritual, moral, intellectual and practical skills into the society.

The Catholic Church, in particular, has been in business of education for over 2000 years world wide and for over 100 years in Uganda. The study found that the church has demonstrated itself capable of providing a definite, established, and managerial system for her schools (Kasibante, I.F, 2001, P.103). Within the years of the Catholic Church in Uganda, her contribution, through education, to the development of people cannot be underrated (Emmanuel Wamala, 2000, Viii). There are several secondary schools in Uganda founded in by catholic missionaries and by the Catholic Church in

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Uganda. Catholic-cofounded schools were initially exclusively for Catholics but, to cater for the demands of a pluralistic society, they later became accommodative to all albeit maintaining their Catholic values and the ideas of their founders.

In the pre-independence times in Uganda when the churches as school owners and the director of education as advisor and sponsor operated as true partners in education, there were official channels of communication as well as mutual consultation on policy. However, in the 1960’s the UPC (Uganda Peoples’ Congress) Government would no longer recognise the church officer called Education Secretary. This was because management of all the Government-aided schools was being taken over by the government. The above monopolisation that locked out the partners compromised cooperation between the church and the government in the management of church-founded schools and the development of education generally. This marked the down of secularisation.

At present still, the Catholic Church has little influence in the administration of its schools that are Government-aided, on teachers, on schools’ financial management, on their physical development, and on the students’ upbringing and general discipline. Consequently, the Catholic Church has little access to its Government-aided schools yet schools are one of the most viable channels for the inculcation of morals and other values in the students (Norman D. Nsereko, 2001P.67). The general characteristic of the catholic schools is said to be in many ways depressing, with no definite catholic ethos, steadily drifting towards secularism and run by civil servants of a secular state, who are quite at side the control and authority of the church, and who do not necessarily care for Christian values in education. “If it were not for large numbers of students who enrol in catholic schools and for their leading academic performance, the prospects would be even worse than we fear them to be now.” (Kasibante, I.F and Kiwanuka, E, S 2000:16). It is on

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the above background that the study investigated the impact that the trend of secularisation has had on the educational performance of selected catholic founded secondary schools in Kampala Archdiocese.

1.3 Statement of the problem

The trend of secularisation is a rising tendency in Government-aided catholic-founded secondary schools to over emphasise academic performance with little concern about morality and spirituality. It seems and appears that, contrary to the ideals of the establishment of the schools, to a great extent, the catholic educational values have been compromised. Secularisation appears to be having a great toll on the wholesome educational and moral performance of the schools in question.

1.4 Scope of the study

The study involved catholic-founded schools in Kampala Archdiocese. Kampala Archdiocese was selected because it contains many secularised catholic-founded schools and because the researcher is familiar to the place. The study was exclusively concerned with the impact secularisation on educational and moral performance in Church-founded Government-aided secondary schools. The main period of the study fell between years 1963 and 1990. It was assumed that the end of the 1963-1990 period might well have marked the patterns of educational trend.

1.5 Definition of key terms

Catholic values: A set of qualities which the Catholic Church recommends to be imparted into persons leading to education of the mind, the hands and heart.

Catholic-founded Government-aided Secondary Schools: Post-primary, pre-tertially educational institutions which were founded by the Catholic Church but are now under government management and control.

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Secularism: An essentially anti-religious ideology; it is diametrically opposed to the claims of revealed religion and ecclesiasticism.

Secularisation of Education: A process of change in education involving detachment or disengagement of its aims or functions, content, methods, management and administration from a framework of sacred, religious or denominational beliefs and related practices by adjusting them to contemplated or rationally and empirically assessed and compelling conditions of life of a concerned community or society.

Educational Performance: In this study, educational performance has been used to refer to the extent to which education informs and forms students academically, morally, and spiritually towards development of specific skills, knowledge, attitude and values in relation to the vision, mission and goals of Catholic Church.

Secularisation: This means making catholic-founded secondary schools government-controlled and managed with the church having little or no influence in their management and in making policies that govern them.

Ethics: The discussion of morals or theory, i.e., system of beliefs about the problems of conduct and ultimate objectives.

Moral Education: One of the major dimensions of the overall educative enterprise involving acquirement of knowledge and understanding, skills and attitudes of moral import.

Moral Values: Socially approved or accepted concepts, goals, ideals, or principles of normative import.

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1.6 Objectives of the study

General objective

To investigate the impact of secularisation on educational and moral performance in selected catholic-founded Government-aided secondary schools in Kampala archdiocese.

Specific objectives

1. To find out the educational and moral performance of Catholic founded schools in Kampala Archdiocese before they came under government control government control.

2. To find out reasons given by government, and methods it used, in taking over by Government

3. To find out educational and moral performance of these schools after their take over by Government

4. To recommend strategies to enhance the positive performance and reduce the negative performance.

1.7 Hypothesis

The secularisation of catholic-founded secondary schools has led to decline in their moral and educational performance.

1.8 Justification of the study

This study has been given preference, in the first place, due to the significance of education on various aspects of national development and social well being. The researcher was motivated by the current trend of academically-sided education in many of the government-aided Catholic-founded schools which was used to have integral education before the trend of secularisation. While the schools are conspicuously deviating from the objectives of their foundation, more and more emphasis is now being put on

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academic performance than on the integral development of students especially with regard to morality and spirituality. Therefore this study serves as a strategy to show how secularisation is affecting the educational performance of catholic-founded secondary schools especially in Kampala Archdiocese where there are many secularised catholic-founded schools.

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1.9 Conceptual framework

Constraining Variable

Independent Implementing Bridging Variable

Variable variable Dependent

Variable

Unintended Variable Latent Consequences

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Government may not be willing to surrender some of its powers

Involving the Catholic Church in the Management of Catholic founded secondary schools

Involving the church in making administrative decisions in schools

Readiness of the Church to cooperate with the government

Improving educational performance in Catholic-founded Government-aided Secondary Schools

There may arise the problem of power sharing

-Improving the image of Catholic-founded Secondary schools

-Improving on the level of morality in the society

Explanation of the conceptual framework

The conceptual framework above is the researcher’s postulated relationship of variables as demonstrated in the illustration. The framework demonstrates that the study has to be done (the independent variable) in order to achieve the researchers’ ideal (the dependent variable). The implementing and bridging variables are part of what has to be done in order to achieve the dependent variable. The constraining variable represents anticipated constraints towards achieving the dependent variable. The unintended variable stands for what may arise from the independent variable centrally to the expected. The latent consequences are possible outcomes after achieving the dependent variable.

1.10 Constraints encountered

It was an expensive study in terms of transport costs into the remote villages of Wakiso and Mpigi. Some of the respondents were too busy, and at times they could not honour the appointments given to the researcher.

Some of the respondent refused to provide data because they assumed that the study was too delicate, whereas others indulged in positive reporting. The researcher relied heavily on primary sources of data collection. This might have created a bias.

1.11 Ethical consideration

Ethical consideration was upheld. Participation of the respondents was voluntary and the information obtained was confidential and private.

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CHAPTER TW0: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This section contains review of all literature relevant to the objectives of the study. This ranges from original goals of the catholic schools as conceived by the missionaries and church. The research attempts to find out what has been done so far and discern the gaps that are still remaining. Literature will be reviewed on the mission of catholic-founded schools, administrative and teaching staff recruitment, priorities schemes in the schools, and on the catholic values existing in schools

2.2 The Mission of Catholic founded schools

The European Missionaries who came to Uganda and to other African countries did much more than the mere spreading of Christianity. They as well introduced western education/formal education (Tiberondwa, 1998). Education in general had been a major concern of the missionaries ever since their beginning; laying emphasis on the formation of the whole person in spiritual, moral, intellectual and material fields (Tourigny, 1979). Schools built by the Catholic Church have been a major tool through which the church carries on its evangelisation mission. The history of the catholic education world wide traces its roots from Christ’s own commissioning to the apostles to evangelise the whole world (Mathew 28:18-20). As Kasibante (1997) observes the essential aims of the catholic and protestant education were initially the same: to evangelise and civilise the nations, to use education to bring about change and modernity in Africa. Since inception of the Catholic Church education has been the core avenue through which the Church has achieved her social teaching. This social teaching has been premised in the ten foundational principles and it is upon these building

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blocks that the Church established schools and other social amenities like hospitals etc. Among the principles which the missionaries wanted to achieve through education include the following: the principle of the dignity of the human person, respect for human life, association, participation, preferential protection of the poor and vulnerable, solidarity, stewardship, subsidiarity, human quality and the common good.

The early catholic Missionaries set the general purpose of catholic education to be holistic training of an individual/learner. A system of education, which would not care for the training of the mind and body, without religious and moral training was considered incomplete and a total failure. The spiritual interests of the learner were of paramount importance. Kasibante (2000) derives this further to the present aim of catholic education, “to produce morally upright people”. Many scholars seem to have a belief in the co-existence of a positive link between spirituality and morality. Others believe in a link between education and morality. Semusu (2003) holds the view that education and morality go together. The positive link between the three facets: education, spirituality and morality sums up the fundamental aim of the church in education as outlined in Catholic Education policy guidelines 1982 and 1986. The link of the three elements, would bring about useful individual, useful to his/her fellow men, to the country as a whole, to all humanity and himself/herself.

Mbuga (2002) summarises the aims of the catholic mission schools as: The formation of a whole human being who is God fearing, morally upright, having good intellectual ability, equipped with skills and in all, and a Christian witness. The catholic school is not only a centre of learning but also of evangelisation; laying emphasis on character formation and striving to provide education even to the poor and disadvantaged.

To achieve the afore-mentioned aims and goals, the early missionaries led by Cardinal Lavigerie designed a strategy of educating the local leadership

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first, which in turn would influence the led (Kasibante 1997) on the accomplishment of the mission objectives in education observes; by independence, the missionaries and colonial masters left their mark on the schools, and on the teachers and pupils. Seriousness and devotion to duty; a sense of responsibility and accountability, respect for religious, morality and ethics, willing cooperation between teachers, priests and parents.... the first 60 years of formal education in Uganda enabled the church schools to produce impressive harvest of intelligent, reliable, disciplined, principled professionals (lawyers and Doctors etc).

The author’s reference to the first 60 years as a period of an impressive harvest obtaining from the aims of catholic education sounds an alarming bell to what may have happened thereafter to date, prompting this study undertaking, therefore.

2.3 Catholic Values in Catholic-founded Government-aided schools

Mpoza (2000) takes a swipe at the catholic education institutions many of which seem to been diverted from the catholic aims of education. He observes that catholic education is at the crossroads which main stakeholders like the clergy, laity, the school managers and teachers being non-focused about the church official teaching documents and canons that regulate and justify catholic education. The absence of definite Catholic Ethos in the Catholic schools, especially the government-aided ones, led to the provision of a one-sided education which characterised by the “first grade syndrome” and the general deviation of catholic schools from their original purpose, quality, and spirituality, morality and character formation leave aspirations in jeopardy. Nsereko (2002) also denotes the first grade obsession that is ruining catholic schools. He observes that trends in schools are leading to the production of merely successful businessmen instead of Christ-like persons. Peter Paul (1995) observes the neglect of schools in teaching the Youths religious values such as love, trust and faithfulness in

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society. Kasibante (2002) call for a moral agenda in catholic schools stakeholders that some thing has gone a miss regards the fulfilment of original aims of founding catholic schools.

As regards, Priorities of Catholic-founded Government-aided Schools, Nsereko (2000) and Mpoza (2000) note that the first grade obsession is ruining catholic schools. He observes that trends in schools are leading to the production of merely successful business men instead of Christ-like persons. Stress is put on academic performance with the consideration of morality being secondly. Similarly, Muyingo (2000) insists that the tendency in education system is the pursuit of excellence in the academic grades obtained. He goes ahead to point out that this current inclination sets a bad precedence for the future of the country, to him a fuller education package should provide students with other skills that will be useful in tackling the demands and responsibilities of life.

On education, W. Senteza Kajubi cited in Kigongo, J.K (1994:10), “Education for a society in search for values and in educational reform during social economic crisis” says education in Uganda failed to identify and promote society values such as national unity and mutual responsibility in an ethnically and culturally diverse society so as to develop a ‘we feeling’ of mutual identity.

On moral values J.K. Kigongo speaks of lack a moral consensus at national level, a common view on fundamental moral issues that would embrace those values founded on in ethnic groups. Consequently to the degeneration of moral values, Abidi, Kigongo (in both articles) and Kanyike argue that the attitude of individualism was ushered in the society. According to Kanyike and Kinobe, morality was compromised by money. Dolfovo cited in Kigongo (1994:12) attributes the lack of moral consensus to colonialism. Colonialism challenged moral values in traditional society at their roots causing a moral crisis which was however not perceived by the people affected for them to

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make a reassessment of morality. Moreover, in the formation and growth of the nation-state, colonial coercion, which involved constraint and compulsion, was impinged on people.

Abidi and Kigongo (in both articles) attribute the decline in moral values to the impact of the European value system causing different perceptions and orientations among the young on the one hand and the elderly on the other. The latter viewed the traditional value system as still relevant and the former it was generally irrelevant. Kigongo in latter work says education did not help to resolve this fundamental divergence. Kanyike attributes the decline in morality to the political turmoil Uganda went though from the time of abolition of monarchs in 1966.

Mary Francis Nabukenya and Francis Muntu Bahikirwe observe the role literature and Christian religious education, respectively, can play in moral education if the content of moral values in these subjects is exploited. Mukasa Josephine Wanyana also emphasises the possibility of enabling moral education in secondary education through encouraging participation in decision making and responsibilities in and out of school.

2.4 Moral Education in Mission Schools

Missionary education was basically moral in emphasis. In this connection, it should be pointed out that the view of all education as being moral was not inconsistent with the view of paramount goal of education as being the salvation of the soul (Munakukaama Nsereko 1997:9). The two views were not mutually exclusive, for morality and religiousness were traditionally inseparable. That is, being morally good was strictly taken as a logical necessity for true faith-religious service and devotion to God. Conversely, immorality had always been seen as cutting at the very root of spirituality. Thus, the kind of morality espoused was that which was dovetailed with religion or, in particular, Christian faith as denominationally expounded.

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Indeed, education in mission schools was guided by a clear or definite educational aim of being morally good according to Christian ethos. Appropriate message in the typical language of the day when he wrote in a once popular book in mission teachers’ colleges was to the effect that the first thing to think about in child’s education, and which was the first aim of education, was the training of moral character with firm conviction that “the perfect measure of human character is found only in “Jesus Christ” (Young 1993:15).

That was the conviction underlying the view of Bishop Willis regarding C.M.S.’s educational task in Uganda, which considered consisting in improving the whole nation by turning out, not only a number of well-trained clergy and teachers, but perhaps a far larger number of well-principled, moral, upright Christian traders, clerks, interpreters, and also chiefs (Munakukaama 1997:10). A further illustration was offered by a Brother of Christian Instruction and Headmaster of St. Mary’s College Kisubi in his educational account of that institution, whereby he highlighted the classical Roman Catholic view of the aim of education as that of training the true Christian, the true and finished man of character, i.e. (John 1953:27), “the supernatural man who thinks, judges and acts constantly in accordance with right reason illumined by supernatural light of the example and teaching of Christ ” (munakukaama 1997:10)

In that context, the denominational education system could well be said to have had a clear and stable conception about teacher’s role with particular regard to the pupil’s moral education, always highlighted by both teachers’ colleges and the style of management of the teaching service. On the Christian missionaries’ view, the teacher was the occasioner of learner’s educational environment and the main spring board of his/her inspiration, the personification of reality or approximation of perfect model for the pupil, a co-worker with God in perfect man

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As to what the pupils were supposed to learn in order to be morally educated, religion was explicitly taken as the axis of school curriculum and the heart of school atmosphere. Moral education was primarily a matter of nurturing pupils in the faith, covering aspects of religious doctrine, worship and religious fellowship and service. In both the Protestant and Roman Catholic schools, the catechism was taught as a compendium of the essentials of the Christian way of life in the light of the probationary ethics of the Ten Commandments. In the former, the catechism was accompanied by the Bible, whereby the learner was supposed to imbibe the ethical dualism of his/her duty towards God and man (Munakukaama 1997:14). In the latter, the catechetical moral deductions usually involved inculcation of the knowledge about the seven evil inclinations in human nature, i.e. pride, miserliness, greed, lust, envy, anger and laziness, as well as inculcation of the knowledge about their antidotes, i.e. humility, chastity, contentment, charity, affection, forgiveness and diligence (Katekisimu Ya Mapeera, 1984/1879-1979)

Teaching is a profession, which ought to be practiced following a set of ethical principles, be it under government, private or public. Such ethical principles among others include: honesty, integrity, accountability, justice, cooperation, fidelity, gratitude, dotty and non-maleficence, in regard with this, emphasis is on moral authenticity of the practices in schools in the wake of secularisation. This is because teachers, unlike employees in other businesses are models whose behaviours are intimated by learners.

2.5 Secularisation Back ground and Government take-over of the management of schools from the Foundation-Bodies

During the year1914, the government realised the fact that the demand for African clerks and interpreters in the technical and administrative departments, as well as from individual businessmen was great. The government also wanted to put in order the way schools were being set up.

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According to Ssekamwa (1985:24), from 1917 there was uneasiness on the part of the people who were being forced to offer free labour to set up schools in their areas by Chiefs. If a chief happened to be a Protestant, he ordered everybody to build Protestant schools. But when it came to attending those schools, children from a different denomination would not easily be allowed to attend schools of another denomination.

The colonial government also needed an educational policy befitting Africans, as nothing in the British experience seemed relevant. They decided to adopt American theories on Negro education, by sending the Phelpstokes Commission in 1924, and later adopted its report in 1925. Among other things, the report criticised the colonial government for lack of involvement in the supervision and administration of education policies in schools, not catering for Muslims, and also not encouraging practical education.

The 1925 Phelps-Stokes Commission recommended that the colonial government should finance and direct educational policies in Uganda. Departments of Education got established as directors and controllers of the education system. This was seen through Education Ordinances that showed government education policy. Finances from the government, in terms of grants-aid to mission schools increased tremendously. This resulted in better school buildings and an increase in facilities, co-ordinated syllabuses and the boosting of teacher education. The missionaries were however not happy with the government as they wanted to finance education and leave the management to the Foundation-Bodies. The latter strongly resisted government control of the schools.

Nonetheless, the government controlled the curriculum, certification, and financed schools but the management remained in the hands of missionaries. The 1927 Ordinance was passed to emphasize government control and forbidding obstruction.

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The Thomas Education Committee of 1940 was appointed to review the education system in Uganda since 1925, when the Phelps-stokes commission recommended the betterment of education in the country. The Thomas Education Committee wanted the powers of missionary control of schools reduced. It recommended the involvement of parents in the management of schools and financing of education. The commission further recommended that primary education be planned and financed by local governments. This was intended to help society participate in financing and management of schools, and to reduce the powers of the missionaries.

Secondary education was to be financed by the central government, and Boards of Governors were set up to control secondary schools, and encourage people’s participation in the system. This was intended to reduce the powers of missionaries in controlling schools, and also involving the community in the management of schools. However the missionaries influenced this Committee and maintained control of the schools as well a dominating the Boards of Governors. The rationale was that they had invested a lot in these schools and so they claimed to be the best managers of schools. However, by 1960 the B.O.Gs was in control of the management of schools, and the School Management Committees were to be in charge of management of Primary schools. This gradually marked the beginning of the society’s participation in the management of schools, as recommended by the Thomas Education Commission.

The Commission also recommended the establishment of secondary schools by the government, which was intended to reduce denominationalism in secondary schools, and to set up schools that could be attended by students, irrespective of religion, colour or tribe. The government thus entered the field of secondary education that had been left to the missionaries. The government also entered secondary school ownership, which led to the establishment of more secondary schools.

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However, the missionaries saw those government secondary schools as rival schools to the missionary established schools, and students in missionary secondary schools were hostile to those in government-established schools. This suspicion continued increasing between the state and the Foundation-Bodies, on the management of schools in Uganda.

By independence in 1962, administration and control of schools was solidly in the hands of missionaries along denominational lines. The government financed schools, controlled the curriculum, certification, and directed educational policies, but management was left in the hands of the Foundation-Bodies. Although the schools were managed by the B.O.Gs and S.M.Cs, the missionaries still dominated them, and they were influenced by denominationalism. After Uganda gained her independence in 1962, the government, through the Castle education Commission Report decided to take control of schools from the Foundation-Bodies and it passed the 1963 Education Act, where all grant-aided schools were to be under the control of the State.

As Ssekamwa (1985:45) noted: Because so much hope was placed in education, the governments of East Africa felt that they had to possess the education system as an effective instrument without any reference to any other power, the missionaries and racial groups of the Whites and Asians, hence, denominationalism and races out.

The recruitment of administrative and teaching staff Head teachers and other teachers are appointed and posted to government-aided schools on academic, professional and gender merits. They are obliged by law to be available for all and any work station (school) decided for them by appointing authority (Kasibante, 2001). A qualified teacher can be posted to any government-aided school, he/she being a civil servant. Kasibante further notes that, from the point of view of the church-founded schools, this policy has never been fully accepted because it negatively impinges on the purpose

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of the founders, on the desired character of the school. Kasibante and Kiwanuka observe that the government, which is in charge of formulating and implementing education policies, training and employing them, stands in an unassailable position and it often lectures the foundation bodies of the school without listening to them on matters of concerning the staffing of schools, posting of Head teachers or any other issues and concerns.

2.6 The Church and Government Cooperation in Education

The coming of missionaries to Africa particularly to Buganda was highly welcome by the African chiefs. The intentions of the missionaries and those of the African chiefs, however conflicted each other and were soon or later to result into a hostile working environment. Up to date, African Governments only show good will to the church establishment as long as the church propagates the state ideals and policies. Whenever the church goals contradict those of the civil authorities, tension normally ensues. King Mutesa I of Buganda highly welcomed missionaries. His hope was that they could provide him with guns, which he could use to fight his enemies. When the king realised that the hope was far from achievable, his interest in Christianity became considerably weakened (Tiberondwa 1998).

The missionaries realising the souring working relationship with the Kabaka decided to leave Buganda in 1882. The church Missionary Society under Mackay stayed on. By his works, Mackay impressed the Kabaka with articles such as tables and chains from his carpentry workshop. When the king fell sick, brother Amans treated him. On recovery, the king was so grateful to the catholic missionaries to the extent that the relationship that had earlier turned sour now improved. The works and generosity of the missionaries thus endeared them to the African natives and chiefs.

The church since its noble beginnings and developments has strong emphasis on education. The school is normally seen as a tool of

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evangelisation and fulfilment of any Christian vocation to evangelise the whole world. Vatican council II recognises the church as being “by its very nature missionary” with an obligation to proclaim the faith and salvation which comes from Christ (Tebaldis 2001). The school is used to evangelise the people and to promote Christian values. The monastic education stressed values to tradition, prayer, contemplation, silence, and dialogue with God, listening to His word and devotion to the Virgin Mary. Many qualities of spiritual strength, the unbreakable bonds of family and friendship, shared involvement of mutual activity as a total expression of God’s creative and redemptive work, the salvation value of time within the miracles of history take place first among them, then evangelisation of peoples and their human development. According to Blessed Allamano, the founder of the Consolata missionaries; “the good must be done well”. He adds, “After a reputation of being dissolute, the most shameful thing for a priest, and the most harmful to his ministry, is the stigma of ignorance.”

When the missionaries came to Uganda, they opened up several local schools throughout the country. The stress was on the 3R-Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. There was no order or common curriculum followed in these mission schools. In 1901, Fr. Gaudibert was given the responsibility by white fathers to develop education. In 1902, the Mill Hill Missions founded Namilyango Secondary School; St Mary’s College Kisubi was opened in June 1906 to offer the same level of education as Namilyango. Between 1910 and 1925, the Mill Hill Mission opened secondary schools, (Tiberondwa 1998).

There is general worry as to how catholic schools can thrive and serve their original purpose without active participation and decisive leadership of the priests playing a role as parish priests, members of school Boards and management committees and as chaplains. According to Muyingo (1995), where the church has stood firm and resisted government effort to drive it away from the management of catholic founded schools, such schools

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continue to keep on track of the original aims of the founders characterised by good performance, discipline, morality, leadership training and Christian culture. He contrasts this with areas where the church has given into government legalities, as the case with St. Joseph SS Mbarara, once famous but currently in the list of government aided and managed schools that are in a very miserable and sorry state (Muyingo 2000).

Kiwanuka (2000) makes an observation on education since independence; the major features of education track-record, since independence, are improved enrolments at primary, secondary, tertiary and university levels, for girls and boys; poor quality service systems and deliveries; over centralised control of education service in spite of liberalisation/decentralisation policies, inappropriate irrelevant curriculum, exorbitant education costs, multiplicity of little institutions called schools to perpetuate the wrong attitude towards work and they continue to miss out on the integrated development of the youth entrusted to them. Commenting on the teacher since independence he observes: The teaching art appears degenerating instead of improving, social economic constraints facing teachers, the school environment and facilities, lack of job satisfaction have all affected the teaching art quite adversely.

2.7 Secularisation Movement

Following the achievement of national independence in Uganda and the change denominational to direct state control of schools, considerations concerning secular trends in education were coloured by a general feeling of dissatisfaction relating to the increasing problems of morality in schools. One research study conducted in Masaka District revealed that the “decline in discipline and morals in schools” was strongly and widely associated with the policy of direct state control of schools, i.e., “the removal of missionary guiding hand in schools”, which “left no body to enforce traditional Christian morality” (Musiime 1992:51). Missionary education was indeed liable to

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criticism. The most common criticism and of a long standing was the preponderance of literacy emphasis, which was referred to as an impediment to effective adjustment to modern conditions (Nsereko-Munakukaama 1997:21). But real concern to the emerging local elite was the quasi-educational monopoly of missionary societies apparently fondled by the state. The more the denominational system gained roots the more its critics focused on and loathed its characteristic paternalism or rigid demands and strict control, as well as discrimination tending to narrow educational opportunities.

The system was challenged seriously for the first time in 1921 by an articulate pressure group known as The Young Baganda Association. The association sent a memorandum to the protectorate government on matters of education wherein they strongly demanded the secularisation of school system. They wanted the government to have the entire responsibility and control of education in the country. In this respect, missionary educators, since they could not be ignored outright, would be relegated to the status of public servants in the schools like all teachers. And one reinforcing factor was that even the Buganda Government – Buganda Lukiiko was actively our favour of establishing within its province secular schools to parallel the existing denominational school system (Munakukaama 1997:22).

The Protectorate Government chilled the pressure for educational secularisation, for, though uneasy about the missionaries’ combination of formal eighty-two school rules, a precedent in the country’s school administration, and rationalised the newly adopted custodial approach to pupil control in terms characteristic of existing disciplinarians and moralist as Munakukaama puts it, we have worked on the principle that in a school as in a home, authority is imposed from above but eventually become ingrained that it appears to come from within (Munakukaama 1997:21). To put threads together, the approach to moral education in mission schools was a

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characteristic of absolutistic religious precepts involving more of direct than indirect strategies: it was over-prescriptive, in that the rules and regulations applied to the detail of the pupil’s life; negative in tone, in that the stress was on prohibition rather than guidance in terms of explanatory behavioural expectations; deductive rather than developmental, in that insistence was on acceptance of authority that did not follow upon the experience being had by the pupils concerned; and punitive, in that punishment was by strict reciprocity, taking no account of motives or concrete moral situations.

Nevertheless, the secularisation movement smoulderingly held on its way when the 1940 Thomas Education Committee (Education in Uganda, 1940) explicitly disfavoured it by stressing the need for a firm religious basis of education as forces of social change seemed to encourage a clamour for social secularisation. Similarly, the 1951 Binns Study Group (African Education, 1953) recommended a religious basis of education which could only be ensured through the continuation of the church-state partnership in education, controlled on the denominational basis.

The 1952 de Bunsen Committee, too, reiterated unanimously the necessity for religious basis of education. However, the committee cautiously advised that while the majority of schools should be denominational, secular schools should be allowed to develop. But Roman Catholic members rejected the letter proviso, while, while the minority views of the members of the committee, led by Kulubya, Lule and Senkantuuka, strongly suggested that future policy should place the emphasis on the non-denominational schools.

2.8 Secularisation and Church-State Relationship in Education

Secularisation is a process of transformation where a society slowly migrates from close identification which local institution of religion to a more clearly separated relationship. Here human kind focuses attention increasingly on this world and decreasingly on an imagined or postulated other world. Mark

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Chaves and Demerath, N.J have broadened this definition by referring to secularisation as the decline in religious authority.

When missionaries came to Uganda they opened up schools throughout the country for example Namilyango College (1902) by Mill hill fathers, St Mary’s College Kisubi by the White fathers and others. Between 1910 and 1925, the white fathers and Mill Hill Fathers, opened many teachers training centres according to Tiberondwa (1998).

Prior to 1914, there was no serious government interest in Education. The missionaries met 100% of the teachers’ salaries and the cost of buildings and furniture, books and stationary. In 1914 the government agreed to make it easier to obtain land for schools and grant subsidies to the missionaries for building new schools (Tourigny, 1979).

The success of the church has however at times crated antagonism with civil society and other religious groupings. King Mutesa 1 scared of the ever-increasing number of Christian converts developed hostility towards the church. He put spies on the missionaries so that he could be informed about their activities and about his own people who were becoming Christians. Between 1887 and 1900, the number of Christians rose steadily amidst conflicts among Roman Catholics, the Protestants, Muslims and the indigenous politicians. Most of the church activities were seen to be dominational in nature contrary to the Christian doctrine of love (Tiberondwa 1998). In 1911, Muslim patients complained to the Kabaka that they were denied medical treatment at Lubaga Catholic clinic on grounds that they were not Catholics. In 1960s, cases were reported of non-Catholic children not being given places in catholic schools unless they were ready to become Catholics.

This discrimination based on religious affiliation might have prompted the government then to take control of church schools in the 1960’s. However,

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Tourigny (1979) shows the religious tolerance of the catholic mission in Uganda when he cites Dr. Ahmad, a devoted Muslim and specialist in malaria fever who from August 1933 visited Lubaga hospital at least twice a week to treat patients.

With the attaining of independence, the relationship between the church and government almost turned sour. The management committee rules of 1969 entirely excluded the founders/proprietors from officially participating in the managerial and administrative activities of the school (Muyingo, 1995 and Kasibante 2000). This was reinforcing the earlier decision of 1963/1964 of government take over schools including catholic schools (Odad 2000).

Tiberondwa (1998) observes that after independence the new states in Africa had negative attitudes towards the activities of Missionaries. They looked at schools established by missionaries as facilitating colonialism. It is little wonder then that after independence these governments tried all within their means to limit Missionary influence. The education reform sector of 1963-64 left the role in education marginalised. Government took over teacher training colleges where the church had officially formed teachers to work in spirit of service.

The after effects of this secularisation are manifest in the erosion of order that characterised catholic schools, precisely; falling education performance, lack of devotion to duty of many head teachers and staff, dilapidated schools and lack of physical development in schools.

However, although there is much that has been researched and written about the state of Catholic-founded schools (especially in catholic schools 2000: Issues and Challenges), there still remains need to find out the impact of secularisation, as a factor on its own, has had on educational performance in the schools. There may be many factors leading to the current state of educational performance in catholic-founded Government-aided secondary

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schools as several researchers have observed. Globalisation, uncontrolled press freedom and technological advancement have certainly had their toll on the level of morality as one of the elements of educational performance in the schools. The concern of this research is to find out the effect that secularisation alone has had on educational performance in the schools.

Kasibante (2000) relating the aim of catholic education to the teacher has this to say: The teacher must demonstrate that he/she values pupils not just as a class, school or statistics, but also as individual human persons who need to cared for and respected. A parental touch is welcome when teaching and when offering pupils help and guidance. Yet suitable balance must be found between being close, helpful and loving to pupils and remaining a respected teacher. As a good moral agent, the teacher should in his own life actually practice what he teaches. Care should be exercised in selecting men and women to teach. Personal suitability must be considered along with potential competence, managerial ability and pedagogical ability.

Education during the colonial period in Uganda (1894-1964) could be said to fall under two broad phases, namely that of education monopoly by Christian missions between 1900 and 1924 and that of cooperation between missions and government between 1952 and 1962.

The first phase was the period of private enterprise predominantly associated with the activities of the Christian missions, who founded, owned, managed the schools, conducted examinations, issued certificates and employed their own products and paid teachers salaries. Truly enough, the missions geared their emerging school system solely towards “the creation and upbringing of local Christian community within the structure of African society” (Munakukaama 1997:5). Indeed, even the protectorate government later admitted thus (Uganda protectorate Annual Report, 1930, para. 3), to the missionary societies must be given the sole credit for educational development in the country, only in these early years, but right up till 1924.

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The second phase was characterised by what Munakukaama (1997) described as the conversion of the amateur education systems of the missions into public school system through the formalisation of the cooperation between the missions and the colonial government, whereby the protectorate government assumed overall responsibility for education in the country and the missions were expected to function as government-supported agencies. This approach, the through-the mission policy, followed the Phelps-Stokes Commission’s strong recommendations issued in 1924 favour of a more significant level of state involvement in education. The recommendation came into effect with establishment of the Department of Education and the appointment of its first Director, Eric Hussey, in 1925 (Uganda Protectorate Annual Report, 1922)

Consequently, the department of education set up the Advisory Council on Native Education Comprising representatives of the Missions and government agents; schools were graded with care, generally required to follow syllabi laid down by Government (Uganda Protectorate Annual Report, 1925/1928) and liable to government inspections; the grants-in-aid system was augmented and systematised; and the nascent church education machineries became formally recognised by coming under government payroll.

2.9 The 1963 Education Act

The passing of the 1963 Education act aggravated opposition from the Foundation-Bodies, as it was issued without notice, or the consultation of the Foundation-Bodies, and the news was received with much shock. Consequently, the Act was greatly resisted nation-wide by the Foundation-Bodies. It was this power that the Foundation-Bodies wanted to regain, that in the process brought management conflicts in the schools, regarding who was the boss. Anderson (1974:80) indicated that education was so much part of Christianity in Africa that it was difficult to believe there were any

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Christianity without education. He indicated that the spread of the Church went with the spread of education, and that the two were significantly inseparable. When this relationship was savoured however, many African nations put up strong resistance against the policy.

Yadale (1971) seemed to concur with Anderson when he also observed that education and Christianity must go together. He argued that education must be completely saturated with Christianity, the Holy Bible playing the centre stage. Yadale also quoted Bishop Johnston of Niger Diocese, who was the father of literacy education that transformed many Africans into Christianised statesmen and citizens. He therefore stressed that the early privilege the Church got of founding and developing her schools was not to be lost. But this was not possible in Uganda after the passing of the 1963 Education Act, and in those areas where the Church has always wanted to claim this power; there have always erupted conflicts and strained relationships between the State and the Foundation-Bodies.

Right from the beginning of its establishment in Uganda, the church in general and Roman Catholic Church in particular has played an important role in the education of the young people. The church believes that an individual has a right to education and should be educated harmoniously; not only academically, but also morally, religiously and physically.

As Watson (1965) indicated, “It is claimed that the first formal school was secular and established by Sir Samuel Baker at Masindi in 1877”. The school was short-lived following the military confrontation between Kabalega (the then Omukama of Bunyoro), and Baker (the Egyptian envoy). Baker was driven out of Bunyoro by the “Abarusura army” and the school collapsed.

By 1914 the government had realised the fact that the demand for African Clerks and Interpreters in the technical and administrative departments, as well as from individual businessmen was great. The government also wanted

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to put in order the way schools were being set up. The colonial government also needed an education policy befitting Africans, as nothing in the British experience seemed relevant.

From the context of Kampala Archdiocese, Kasibante (1996) and Ssekamwa (1973) noted, that school administrators (teachers and head teachers) in most church-founded schools had demonstrated minimal acknowledgement of the role of Foundation- Bodies in the management of these schools. Admittedly, Bitamazire (1987) noted that there has always been an instance of conflicting between the State and Foundation-Bodies.

This review of the related literature therefore revealed that the different scholars and researchers who have been under review, agreed that whereas government control of schools was necessary in America, Europe and Africa, there inevitably developed resistance and conflicts between the State and the Foundation-Bodies on the management of schools, especially when the government took over. They also agreed that the relationship between the State and the Foundation-Bodies on the management of schools has ever since, not been good either.

1.10 Private Schools as an Aspect of Secularisation

As the idea of secularisation of education was being dragged, Ssebanja Mukasa (Fr. Spartas of Namungoona), Ernest Balintuma (Dr. Kalibbala), Anslem Musoke and the followers, gave the idea a practical shape by establishing independent private schools outside the church school orbit and official grants-in-aid system. The first of such schools was opened in 1925 by Ssebanja Mukasa near Bombo and others increasingly followed in the 1940’s onwards (Ssekamwa & Lugumba 1973), such as Aggrey Memorial Primary School and Katikamu Primary School. With the rise of the demand for secondary education in the mid-1950s, the private school system entered a new and more challenging phase when schools like the following came into

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being: Aggrey Memorial SS. Bunnamwaya; Kaddugala SS owned by Mukooza (Masaka); Brothren College Kiryagonja, Matugga; Katikamu SSS and so forth.

Out of fear of educational secularisation, both protestant and Roman Catholic Voluntary Agencies by way of decampaigning the private schools were educationally inferior, religiously pharisaical and morally lost. But, as Lugumba and Ssekamwa (1973) explained, the proprietors of such schools pulled through because they were fully convinced of their worth, the good will of parents and the rising demand for education particularly at secondary level, which the official school system could not satisfy. So in 1951, they won recognition of the government as indicated by the appointment of the Advisory Officer fully charged with affairs of private school.

As regards, the issue of moral education in the independent private schools much depended on the character of particular proprietors, most of whom were generally open-minded Christians, who so much cherished freedom of independent thought and judgement, who respected religion, but tended to view its bearing on education much more in terms of its civilising influence than other-worldly consequences. In that case, the role of religion with reference to moral education was on their view appropriately that of contributing to the motivation of, rather than prescribing, conduct

2.11 State Schools as an Aspect of Secularisation

By the beginning of the second half of the 1950’s, the demand for secularisation of education had become a quite significant. And, given the unfolding possibility of political independence which government was beginning to prepare for and which increased its stake in higher education, the issue of secularisation included an important course of action in the form of establishment of state schools. Institutions like Ntare School, Kigezi College-butobere, Kabalega secondary school, and Mvara secondary school, Sir Samuel Baker, Lango College and Teso College were opened during the 1950s as government-founded secondary schools. Such development was a

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no mean feature of the nascent process of secularisation of education. The development was as a matter of course interpreted by the missions as a threat to the existing denominational school set-up. It was in fact a challenge in terms of staffing and religious moral outlook (Munakukaama 1997:28)

To elaborate, the demand for secondary school teachers rose substantially. Under such circumstances of competition, rigidity in recruitment and retention of teachers on the basis of eligibility for Christian nurture of pupils became vulnerable to the government’s long-standing reluctance to uphold a definitely Christian morality and Christian way of life. As intimated by Tuma and Mutibwa (1978), beginning with the late fifties, it was becoming rather unrealistic to think in terms of moral certainty with regard to the conduct of teachers, i.e. a new type of teachers both from overseas and local institutions like Makerere, and to take for granted their total commitment to the Christian philosophical orientation to education as had been the case between the thirties and the early fifties.

2.12 Ethics and Theoretical Purpose of Education

Various scholars have theorised on the purpose of education and how teaching should be organised. The following views are professionally acceptable. Peters (1973:19) advances that “education should be of the whole man, it should rule out narrow specialisms. It must permeate a person’s way of looking at things rather than be hived off”. He further argues that, a hall-mark of good school is the extent to which it kindles in its pupils a desire to go on the with things into which they have been initiated when pressures are off and when there is no extrinsic reason for engaging in them (Peters 1973:18). This is further supported by J.K. Kigongo who asserts that, there is a collaborative relationship between the society and formal education (J.K. Kigongo, A paper presented at the General Seminar at School of Education, Makerere University 9th December, 1998). From the realm of virtues are included ethical or moral virtues. Thus one of the principle

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requirements of education should be the cultivation of ethical virtues. Further J.K. Kigongo says that education has notions such as improvement, betterment, and the passing on what is worthwhile built on it. Therefore, it a matter of logical necessity that it must involve something of ethical value. What Kigongo says suggests that education is essentially an ethical endeavour even when it has a non-ethical objective such as development of practical skills. If this view is accepted it leads us to another that to appreciate the ethical character of education, which is to better or enhance the well-being of human beings, ethics or ethical education should be central to education.

Scheffler in Peters (1973:81) argues in support of the above views that: Schooling must be organised to bring knowledge to bear on life’s problems and in so doing, to train students in proper application of what they may know. Practical problems of the large should serve to provide the major framework within which all the schools are set.

Kajubi, in Abidi (1991:186) also holds the same belief as the above scholar. He emphasises that: education embraces the development of the total person. Education broadly, defined, comprises the process by which a person develops abilities, attitudes ad forms of behaviour, which contribute positive values to the society in which that individual lives.

Warnock in Peters (1973:121) believes that quality education is measured by the degree to which the imagination is exercised. According to her, failing to educate imagination is to restrict people’s freedom by increasing their capacity to think for themselves.

Akinpelu (1981) notes that, the process of education should lead a person from the dark cave ignorance into the limelight of knowledge. It is not putting knowledge in a person’s soul as one puts water into an empty pot; but rather it is aiding the individual to discover knowledge through his own

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resourcing process. Therefore a teacher must appreciate that he/she is a helper in the activity of learning through indispensable. His task therefore, is to arouse the interest of the child, sustain it and lead it on the new horizons.

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter shows how the research was conducted and it included the following; study population, sample selection, study design, data collection instruments, and procedure and data analysis.

3.2 Research Design

The qualitative research approach and design were employed as a basic method for this study. This method goes deep into the minds of the people to discover intangible variables such as attitudes and mentality. A critical approach was demonstrated throughout the study.

The quantitative research approach was applied in order to achieve a more particularised understanding of the views and experiences of the priests, teachers, parents and administrators. Two scholars Bryman (1988) and Ouma Lumonya D. (1988:30-31) identified three critical intellectual foundations of the concept and value base of qualitative approach. They delineate its place and contemporary times.

The basic type of research was used to advance knowledge and insight as regards secularisation and educational performance in catholic-founded schools. An evaluation type of research that sought to investigate the worthiness of values of actions was applied. Diachronical approach was also

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applied, so those past events were studied so as to discover new knowledge or correct or expand on the existing knowledge.

The descriptive research approach was also applied where by existing conditions or a state of a subject being studied is described the way it is to bring out vividly the attitudes and opinions of stakeholders.

3.3 Study area

The study was carried out mainly in five schools in Kampala Archdiocese in Kampala, Wakiso and Mpigi. These include: Trinity College Nabbingo, St. Mary’s SS Nkozi, St. Maria Goreti Katende, St. Peters SS Nsambya and Our Lady of Good Council Gayaza. The area was chosen because it has many Catholic-founded secondary schools that are Government-aided and the researcher is familiar to the area and people. The familiarity with the area and the people had an advantage of allowing for convert observation (where necessary) as an instrument and saved the time that would have been spent in bargaining entry.

3.4 Study population

The study population comprised of administrators, teachers, chaplains (Priests), Members of Board of Governors and parents from five government-aided catholic-founded secondary schools. Purposeful selection of the sample unit was made. This is because a scholar Bryman, (1988) cited in Nuwagaba. A, and Lumonya D (1998:30), asserts that, a purposeful selection is an essential approach that seeks to describe and analyse the culture and behaviour of people and their groups from the point of view of those being studied. In this study, the situational nature of the meaning of the social phenomenon was delineated. The subjects studied were deliberately selected because the information needed was specific to the subject of secularisation and educational performance.

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3.5 Sample Size and Selection

There was a total of 120 respondents, 100 of whom answered sample questionnaires while 20 of whom were subjected to oral interviews. They included teachers, administrators, priests, members of Board of Governors and parents. Some people were interviewed at their homes while others at work place.

The Sample Structure

Table I: The Marital Status of Respondents

Marital Status Percentages (%)  Married Single Totals Priest 14 14 11.67Teacher 46 28 74 61.67Parent 18 14 32 26.67Total 64 56 120 100

Source: Field Work

In the table above 120 people were contacted: 14 were priest who included school chaplains, 74 were teacher who included school teachers and head teachers. 32 were parents of students in these schools. It was established that of the 74 teachers 46 were married and 28 not married, also 18 parents were married and 14 still single. In the sample size Priests constituted 11.67%, teachers constituted 61.67% while parents made 26.67%. The biggest percentage was made up teachers.

Table 2: The Responses of Clients Contacted

  Responses    Yes No TotalPriest 10 4 14Teacher 48 26 74Parent 21 11 32Total 79 41 120Percentages (%) 65.83 34.17 100

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Source: Field Work

Table2 shows the responses after both the oral interviews and the questionnaires. Of the 14 priests contacted 10 gave their response in affirmative form (Yes) while 4 of them had negative response (No). For the teachers, out of the 74 contacted, 48 had their answer as Yes while 26 were negative in their response. Of the 32 parents contacted, 21 answered yes and 11 answered no. The table continues to show that 79 respondents gave their answer as Yes and 41 gave their answer as No. The number of respondents who answered yes made 66% while 34% did not affirm.

Table3: A Representation of the Respondents, their Marital

Status and their Respective Responses

 

Marital Status

Married SingleTotals

Responses Yes No Yes No Priest 10 4 14Teacher 30 16 18 10 74Parent 12 6 9 5 32Total 42 22 37 19 120

Source: Field Work

Table3 shows all the categories contacted, these include the priests, teachers, and parents. They are also sub grouped into married and single. The table further shows their respective responses. To illustrate the information in table 3 the chart below has been employed.

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Chart 1: Graphical Illustration Showing a Representation of the Respondents, their Marital status and their Respective Responses

Source: Field Work

The chart above shows the categories of people contacted; Priest, teachers and parents. In the chart we are presented two major columns; The Married and the Single. Each of these columns in further subdivided into two more column showing the responses of our clients; Yes and No. Each column of the responses contains the bars for the contacted clients.

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The bars are differentiated by colours; the maroon bars represent the teachers, the green bars represent the parents and blue bars represent the priests.

When we observe the column for the married status, we see those who responded yes and those who responded no. Among those who responded yes were teachers and parents as shown by only two bars of colour maroon and green. Similarly, among those who responded no are parents and teachers. However, those who responded yes in the married category were more than those who responded No in married category.

In the Single category, we have teachers, parents and priests as shown by maroon, green and blue colours respectively. Still, those who responded yes in the Single category were more than those who responded No in single category.

It is worth noting that in both categories the maroon bars are the tallest meaning that in our sample the teacher form the biggest proportion followed by the parents with the green bars and priests constituted the least part.

3.6 Data Collection Methods

The researcher set research questions mostly in descriptive terms probing how secularisation has impacted on the educational performance in catholic founded Government-aided secondary schools in Kampala Archdiocese. The research procedures employed produced descriptive data. Information was gathered from the point of view of the subjects studied. The numbers involved in collecting data is here referred to as qualitative data collection. Diverse methods were employed and therefore this study was based mainly on qualitative methodology.

The study employed both primary and secondary data collection methods. The primary data collection methods involved guided interviews and questionnaires. Secondary data collected involved documentary review of

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issues related to the studied subject. Relevant books and archives were studied.

The instruments used included:

The instruments used included questionnaires and interview guides. The study was aimed at determining the attitudes of opinion leaders towards the impact of the impact of secularisation and educational performance in selected secondary schools from Kampala Archdiocese The researcher felt that these were the most appropriate instruments that could ensure a wide coverage of opinions.

Questionnaires were designed for the head teachers, priests, chaplains, Board of Governors and its aim was to find out whether the recruitment of staff had any influence from the church. This questionnaire also aimed at eliciting their responses concerning the church influence in determining the teaching activities, religious programmes as well as school projects.It also aimed at finding whether the foundation bodies had any considerable influence in the recruitment of teachers, head teachers and whether there was a joint ownership of projects in those schools founded by the church Interviews Schedule The researcher developed the interview schedule from the objectives of the study as well as the hypothesis. Face-to-face interviews and group discussions were conducted, and were intended for the opinion leaders under the categories of the Diocesan Bishops, the clergy, the head teachers, influential elders as well as government officials. This was designed to obtain more information that was not provided by the documents, and to confirm the document information. Thus, these interviews supplemented the analysis of the documents. This helped the researcher to elicit much of the information from the respondents, who in some instances possessed a lot of

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critical data, useful to supplement the one got from the questionnaires. The interview schedule was also used due to the fact that the respondents were of different background. The method was also adopted because many people were apparently willing to communicate orally than in writing.

Documents:

The period between 1898 and 1963 formed the background of the study; this implies that both the primary and secondary sources on the two periods were closely studied. Their contents were scrutinized and subjected to internal and external criticisms. The documents included both the published and unpublished materials, as well as Education Reports.

Published Documents:

These included books on ethics and the history of education in the world, basically in America, Europe, Africa and Uganda. Special attention was given to those documents concerning the Government control of education in Uganda, following the enacting of the 1963 Education Act.

Unpublished materials:

These included dissertations and theses by various researchers on Education in Uganda generally, and Kampala Archdiocese in particular as an area of study. Some of the seminar papers were also analysed.

Reports:

These included the Education Commission reports, Kampala Archdiocese reports, Ministry of Education and Sports statements and circulars, Education Committee minutes, Newspaper reports, Articles, Journals and magazines.

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Questionnaires:

Questionnaires containing probing questions were used during oral interviews, and also some were sent to the subjects who could not be reached. These were carefully filled and kindly sent back by the respondents, and were analysed to supplement the interviews and documents.

3.7 Research Procedure

The researcher obtained an introductory letter from the Department of Philosophy, Makerere University. This was used for securing time, space and for making arrangements for interviews. The letter was presented to different groups of respondents, among whom the research was conducted. So the letter enabled the researcher to make initial contacts and gain legitimacy from the respondents.

The researcher personally travelled to the selected schools, District Education offices, the Zonal Education centres, and both the Protestant and Catholic headquarters in Kampala District that is, Namirembe, Kampala and Rubaga respectively. Five Church- founded and grant-aided secondary schools were visited to analyse documents on education, and to interview the selected subjects.

In all the above-mentioned places, relevant documents were analysed and the information extracted was recorded. Conclusions and recommendations were drawn from the contents of the findings of this study.

The data collected was edited with the view of checking for completeness and accuracy. The questionnaires were edited as soon as they were collected so as to facilitate follow up of the respondents for clarifications/corrections, before analysis was made. The data was also edited to ensure accuracy after

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coding. This helped the researcher in getting reliable data that could easily be analysed. Data was entered into the computer and analysed.

Data Analysis

At the end of each day of data collection, data collected was recorded (i.e. coded for data content etc) and where necessary transcribed. Recording of data included editing for language and tape recorded data.

The data collected was mainly described, categorised and classified according to concepts and symbols. This process involved naming, labelling and qualifying variables.

Quantitative Data

Both primary and secondary data were systematically analysed by following the themes of major variables. Filled questionnaires were coded and the variables were interpreted. The researcher went to the field with a proposal that secularisation of catholic-founded Government-aided has led to a decline in educational performance. He set the hypothesis and this was used for testing the relationships between the different variables. Some of the collected information was transformed into quantitative data and expressed in frequencies and percentages. However it should be noted that the quantitative techniques applied here were very weak. This is because the statistical measures were designed for nominal data only.

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CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF THE FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

The problem under study concerned the secularisation of church founded schools which emanated from 1963 Education Act, which has ever since been a point of controversy between the State and the Foundation-Bodies, subsequently exerting profound impact on administration in secondary schools in Kampala District. This Act was a turning point in the history of Uganda, whereby the government took over the control of schools because of a number of factors as mentioned below:

1. Creating National unity by abolishing denominational and sectarian schools.

2. Raising African prestige by Africanising education away from missionary mentality.

3. Controlling and Africanising the curriculum.4. The need to control the finances in government-aided schools.

In view of these factors therefore, the government found it inevitable to take over the management of schools from the Foundation-Bodies with effect from 1964. According to this Act, all grant-aided schools were to be under the management of the government. This move was strongly opposed in parliament by the Church, which had invested a lot in education. The church feared that the government motive was aimed at destroying its influence in

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schools. The church also feared the government would introduce secularism in schools, whereby the former would loose its Christian foundation. This led to strong opposition from the Foundation-Bodies, especially the Roman Catholics who resisted on the issue of ownership of property said to be safe-guarded by the Uganda Constitution.

However, the church apparently lacked a united approach to pressurise the government to change its policy. Similarly, government was intolerant of those schools that opposed the Act, and in February 1964, the Minister of Education threatened to withhold support to those schools that would resist the implementation of the Education Act. Though the Foundation-Bodies won the case in court, there was no change at all as government persisted and took over control of the education system. As Ssekamwa, (1985:45) noted, the rules of the Boards of Governors and Management Committees for schools still left too much power in the hands of the Foundation-Bodies of these schools, but government was still obliged to honour the spirit of consultation with the Foundation-Bodies of these schools.

This co-existence therefore resulted into secularisation and taking over the management of schools, which has affected the schools administratively, spiritually, morally and academically since 1964. This Chapter therefore presented an analysis of secularisation and educational performance in selected catholic founded secondary schools in Kampala archdiocese

This chapter also presented the results of the study. The purpose of the study was to find out the impact of secularisation on educational performance in catholic-founded government-aided secondary schools in Kampala archdiocese.

In accordance with that purpose, four categories or types of opinion leaders were selected and involved in the study. As it has been mentioned earlier, the first type was composed of head teachers, deputy head teachers, and

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teachers. The second type was composed of the retired civil servants, influential elders, and government officials, and both the P.T.A. and B.O.Gs representatives. The third type consisted of religious leaders and Diocesan Education Secretaries from both the Protestant and Catholic denominations. The opinions of each category was sought and analysed separately by using both the questionnaire and interview guides. Quantitative data was analysed using frequencies and percentages while qualitative data was analyzed through explanation of the various observations that could not be quantified. The data is presented following the hypothesis.

4.2 How the recruitment procedures of the teaching and administrative staff affect educational performance

This section aims at establishing the recruitment procedures of the teaching and administrative staff in government-aided aided secondary schools.Appointment Procedure for Public Servants

The Public Service of Uganda is established under Chapter 10 of the constitution of Uganda.1 Public service means service in civil capacity of the government of Uganda, any District Administration or Urban Authority. The constitution vests the power to appoint persons to hold offices in public service, the power to discipline officers and to remove them from office in the president. (15), (13) who is advised by the public commission. All agreements for employment in the public service whether on pensionable or non pensionable terms are subject to the laws of Uganda. This is not in conformity with the founders of the institutions (Catholic Church), from the interview held with the chaplain of Our Lady of Good Counsel Gayaza; he asserted that in catholic circle, the major debate centres around the issue the issue of values, discipline of teachers and students and the implied survival of the catholic tradition in these schools2. The supposed prime movers of this tradition seem to have drifted (Kafuuma Report 2005), and

1 Uganda Government Standing Orders, Ministry of Public Service Volume I-VI, 1991, Pg 432 Interview with Chaplain, Our Lady of Good Council Gayaza on 8th August 2010

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salient among the reasons for this drift is the commercialisation of education by teachers and head teachers in Catholic Church Schools3. This is in contrast with the aims of the founders, for instance, a Catholic school is characterised by a holistic concern to develop the whole person, its attention to religious and moral education of learners through prayer, the Eucharist and other sacraments along with devotions4 and teaching by example, especially the behaviour example of staff and cooperation with the local Ordinary through the education secretary. Indeed this is the basis of ethics and morals which could enhance morality and performance in catholic founded government aided schools though compromised by secularisation.

The president has discretion to delegate these powers (5) and has done so at the time of commencement of these standing orders to the extent set out in the delegation directions (13). All appointing authorities, in exercising powers of appointment to the public service, delegated to them by the president must ascertain that qualifications required for the office.5 The power to discipline and to remove public officers from public offices is vested in the president subject to delegation in accordance with the law (Op.cit). When the appointing authority directs the removal of a public officer from office, reference shall be made to the relevant laws and standing orders. This is done without consultation with the Catholic Church as a founder and stakeholder.6

Table4: The Secularisation of catholic founded Government Aided Secondary Schools has led to their decline in their performance.

Respondents’ Answers Number of Respondents Percentage of RespondentsYes

78 65No 31 26Not Sure 11 9

3 Kafuuma (2005). Report on the State of Catholic Schools in Kampala Archdiocese4 McCluskey, G.N (1962). Catholic View point on Education , New York Pg 73 5 Ibid Pg 506 Ibid Pg 448

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Total 120 100

Source: Research

The table above shows that 65% of the respondents support the view that secularisation has hindered education performance among catholic founded Government aided secondary schools. 26% of the respondents refuted this view; they don’t believe that secularisation has got to do with anything as far as their performance is concerned. However, 9% of the respondents were unsure of the role of secularisation in their performance.

Graphical Illustration of Table 4

Chart 2: The Secularisation of catholic founded Government Aided Secondary Schools has led to their decline in their performance.

Source: Research

The interpretation of data analysis in Chart 4 was as follows:

Chart 4 brings out our assertion very clearly, paired bars are used in this case and the blue bars represent number of respondents while the red bars

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represent the percentages of respondents. The paired bars for response ‘Yes’ show the blue at approximately 78 and the red bar at around 65%. The paired bars for the ‘No’ response has a blue bar at 31 and a red bar at around 26%. Also the Not Sure response has its blue bar at approximately at 11 and the red bar at 9%. Finally, the Totals are also represented by two bars, the blue bar at 120 and the red bar at 100%

Table5: Table shows Observations and conclusions

No Assumptions Yes NoNot Sure

%age for Yes

%age for No

%age for NA

1

Church does not participate in the general management and recruitment of staff in Catholic Government Schools 70 50 NA 58.3 41.7 0.0

2Catholic Church wants government to return back their secondary schools 77 43 NA 64.2 35.8 0.0

3Catholic Church values no longer exist in all Catholic Government School 80 40 NA 66.7 33.3 0.0

4

Ministry of Education and sports does not involve the Church in recruitment of staff in catholic government schools 84 36 NA 70.0 30.0 0.0

5

Ministry of Education did never Involved the church as a stakeholder in the strategic-plan 2004 – 2015 100 20 NA 83.3 16.7 0.0

6

It is important for the Ministry of Education and Sports to involve the church as regards decisions for governing secondary schools 65 55 NA 54.2 45.8 0.0

7

The catholic BOG does not interview any teachers posted to their schools before they are confirmed to start teaching 86 34 NA 71.7 28.3 0.0

8

The BOG have full powers to relieve any teachers of their duties in case of misbehaviour 68 52 NA 56.7 43.3 0.0

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9

Secularisation has hindered education performance in catholic founded Government Aided Secondary Schools 78 31 11 65.0 26.0 9.0

Totals 708 361 11 590.0 301.0 9.0

Average of the responses in percentages 65.6 33.4 1

Source: Field

Key: N/A: The option did not apply %age: Percentage

Generally the Catholic Church as a founding body has got a big role to play in the general management and running of their schools, but due to the secularised nature of their management it is always left out by the ministry of education when it comes to management and recruitment of staff in Catholic Government Schools.

65.6% of the respondents confirm the assumption that the church has been left out by the Ministry of Education in key issues regarding their schools by pointing out areas like Decision making and recruitment of staff, the formulation of the strategic-plan 2004 – 2015, management of staff and the general running of the school. This is so because schools are always inclined to the secularised nature of the curriculum and management which dictates that all staff are civil servants.

The respondents who considered the church not necessarily a big factor in catholic government schools form 33.4%. They did not see they any reason why the Catholic Church should be involved in interviewing posted teachers, vested with the powers of recruiting staff and terminating them, and they even did not see the importance in involving the church in the strategic plan of 2004 – 2015.

1% of the respondents were very unsure about the role of the church and they even did not have any idea on whether secularisation of the catholic

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government aided school had something to do with their poor performance. However, their percentage is too small to consider, therefore we shall neglect this in the proceedings of our research since our set conditions allow so.

So deleting off the 33.4% who saw little role of the church and totally neglecting the 1%, we remain with the 65.6% which is an overwhelming percentage that asserts the general view that secularisation has indeed led to poor performance in our catholic government aided schools.

The Catholic Church values have been lost in these schools. This is so since the staff recruited and posted in these schools is not based on catholic back ground, the curriculum in these schools has little room for the Catholic Church values.

The findings revealed that the acceptable norms and principles of catholic founded schools have been compromised by secularisation. The target of the schools is to produce impressive academic results, other than God fearing students. This attracts more students and enables them to remain in business. In order to achieve this, schools employ teaching methods which lead to pumping knowledge into heads of learners. As a result independent thinking and creativity on the part of the learners have been stifled.

It was further revealed that professional teaching ethics have been compromised. Non-academic practices which professionally considered essential have deteriorated. Strict enforcement of discipline and inculcation of morals into learners are practices considered today to bar students from joining schools.

It was observed that secularisation and the resultant competition have influenced the teaching in government aided schools, in order not to be left behind in terms of academic performance have adopted spoon feeding and

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coaching practices. Government school teachers are employed on part time basis to teach in private schools thereby limiting the time they commit on other duties in government schools. Because a lot of time is dedicated to teaching co-curricular activities have deteriorated.

Chart 3: Shows the Observations and conclusions of the effects of Secularisation of catholic founded Government Aided Secondary Schools

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Source: Field

The chart above shows horizontal figures running up to 120 respondents and vertically on the left are the assumptions used to analyse the effects of Secularisation of catholic founded Government Aided Secondary Schools.

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The assumption runs from 1 up to 9. For each assumption are horizontal bars green, maroon and blue bars. The green bars represented the number of respondents who were not sure whether secularisation of catholic founded Government Aided Secondary Schools hindered the performance of these schools. The maroon bars represent those respondents who were negative to the assumptions forwarded to them- those who responded with the ‘No’ option. They do not believe in the assumption raised in support of the church. The blue bars represent those who concurred with our assumptions. They are the overwhelming number as shown by the longest bars on each assumption.

4.3 An examination of Secularisation Activities going on in Catholic Schools founded and Government aided Secondary Schools in Kampala Archdiocese

The management of schools goes beyond engaging students in academics to training them in co-curricular activities and acceptable social and moral values. It was realised that competition has confined both teachers and students in classroom all the time, preparing for academic results.

Analysis of daily routine of these schools in the sample showed that 66.7% did not have chaplains and time for prayers except on Sunday. Unfortunately neglecting God/prayer stifles students’ morals. This approach to education contradicts the principle goals of national goals for education. This narrow approach to education does not embrace the ideal of developing the total person, cited by Kajubi in Abidi (1991)

The enforcement of moral values and discipline has been declined with secularisation. Schools depend entirely on the revenue generated from students’ dues; therefore, the number of students enrolled largely determines the continuity of the school. Liberty is given in order to attract a big number of students which ultimately determines the school income. Negligence of discipline enforcement contradicts the objectives of the

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national objectives of promoting moral and ethical values. This puts the employment sector in danger since those trained to serve lack discipline.

According to Nsereko Munakukaama (1997), education in Catholic founded schools was guided by a clear or definite aim of being morally good according to Christian ethos. This is in agreement with Mugagga and Genza (2011:731), who observed that a catholic school is any school established by the Catholic Church leadership, at any level, on Catholic land, with approval of the Diocesan Bishop. A Catholic founded school is one canonically set up, authorised and recognised as such by the local ordinary of a given area of ecclesiastical jurisdiction (John Paul II, 1983:145 ). It is characterised by a holistic concern to develop the whole person, its attention to religious and moral education of learners through prayer, the Eucharist and other sacraments along with devotions, and teaching by example, especially the behavioural example of the staff, and cooperation with local ordinary through education secretary.

Moral Character Development in a School Setting

According to the various respondents, the researcher found out that character means the totality of moral and personal dispositions that distinguish one individual from another7 and is evident in ones values. However, there the researcher also observed “performance character” consisting of willing values such as perseverance and diligence, and moral character implying dispositions such as respect and honesty, which are needed for ethical functioning. Nucci (1997) defines morality as ones concepts, reasoning, and actions that pertain to the welfare, rights and fare treatment of persons8. Moral or ethical values are those that make a human being good simply as a human being, and simply obligation. Therefore moral character implies a personality grounded on internal functional convictions of

7 Interview with Head teacher of St. Maria Garret Kantede on 16th September 2010 at Kantede8 Nucci, L. (1997) Moral Development and Character Formation . Retrieved February 26, 2007:http://tigger.uic/-MoralEd/articles

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conscience. This is supported by (Akinpelu, 1981) who says: a morally good person is perceived not only to be one who has inner urge to do what is good/right, and who has the knowledge of what is good and right, but also, but also as one that possesses the will and determination to do it.

The Catholic Church bases her education philosophy on her metaphysics which recognises that people have both a body and a soul that should be addressed squarely at school (John Paul II, 1983). Catholic educational philosophy therefore pivots on integral development of the learner, since the entire person was created in “imago Dei” (Borsi, 2002). A catholic school is assumed to be a prime setting for both humanisation and salvation for students. This means producing committed Christians, and even other citizens, who are characterised by both a high intellectual calibre and sound moral values at the same time.

Thus, in Catholic understanding education performance is seen in quality behaviour, quality actions, and quality attitude9. The various school subjects do not present only knowledge to be attained, but also values to be acquired and truths to be covered (Congregation for Catholic Education, 1998). In this context, school administration cannot justify ignore the role of students’ moral character development. In this study the role played administrators in Catholic founded secondary schools is pegged to the values and modelling students are exposed to. Administrators were conceptualised to mean head teachers, their deputies, and head of disciplinary committees, student leaders, class teachers and diocesan education officers.

9 Odwa, M (2004) Quality Early Childhood Education in Uganda P.6456

4.4 How Catholic Values enhance educational and moral performance in Catholic-founded government aided schools.

The current catholic education in Uganda operates within the Catholic mission character identity, which accordingly emanates from Jesus’ command to apostles and the Church “go, teach, make disciples” (Mathew 28:18-26). Therefore, the fundamental purpose of Catholic education is to articulate the Christian message and its inherent values, to cherish, keep and transmit the “culture of the sacred in the secular world” Vat II (Decree on Christian education Vatican II Gravissimum Educationis). Teachers in Roman Catholic schools though trained in the same teacher training with other teachers, “constitute an active apostolate” their professionalism and commitment are linked to their dual role; namely, transmitters of the worldly and divine knowledge and truth.

True morality in a catholic school and environment entails a number of things namely; making a school a place of Godliness and good upbringing of the learners, giving knowledge and skill that will enable the learners to live useful lives in life, forming persons with a right a conscience (this is very vital given the nature of society today; where many individuals are thieves, corrupt and morally deficient in matters of sex, money and their general spirituality)

The different stakeholders, namely head teachers, teachers and school chaplains in five Roman Catholic founded schools were asked to give possible catholic value indicators that enhance educational performance in their schools. The following were identified as the salient ones;

Attending church prayers on very regular basis and encouraging students to do the same. This was revealed by 89% of the 5 interviewed head teachers.

Teaching full time in one school.

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The teachers and school administrators acting as imitators of Christ or the saints.

Appropriate dress code (in the case of female teachers the dress or skirt should be prudently long) 54% of the interviewed head teachers.

Praying before and after the lesson out of personal convicting revealed by 100% of the intervened 25 teachers.

Carry out intensive supervisory role to students and teachers to enhance educational performance this was revealed by the 75% of the teachers interviewed. Students.

The study sought for values they espoused and their implication on the moral performance of the students.

Values Espoused by Administrators in the Selected Schools.

Student leaders indicated the values that are emphasized in their schools, by selecting them from a predetermined list. Whereas academic values were reported to be the most espoused (94% of students), economic ones were the least. This means that before any thing else, administrators place the students’ academics first. The teachers concurred that the values transmitted in their schools are religious, moral, aesthetic, academic, and economic, with different emphases. For example a teacher noted that: Some moral are transmitted here, but academic values are the most stressed.

Other teachers explained why the values the values espouse are clearly academic: teachers’ work is measured and rewarded in terms of academic performance of students, and not in terms students’ moral demeanour. Also one deputy head teacher said that:

With liberalisation of education many things have changed, and this has increased (teachers’) part timing and reduced their (teachers’)

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availability to students for moral counselling and the like. Many teachers do not actually mind students’ morals; they are just after giving lessons to get money.

However, not all administrators/teachers were reported to be money minded. One respondent said that:

Even in the absence of monetary rewards, there are teachers that will spare time for moral values of students; you only need to empower them and recognise them as performers

The problem of values in Catholic founded secondary schools was further highlighted by heads of disciplinary committees and office of Diocesan secretariat. They revealed that the values cherished in catholic founded secondary schools are increasingly become academic and economic. Many support economic values for financial self-sustenance of church schools. Others highlight academic values so as to remain competitive with other schools. Some respondents therefore thought church authorities were also to blame for such a trend:

Today the priorities of the church in education are overly academic and financial. For example every year the Diocesan Education Inspectorate grades all schools in the Diocese according to the percentages of first grades got, but we never see one such based on students’ conduct!

However another respondent clarified that:

A school’s moral-religious input into students is not easy to measure. Also the repercussions of its neglect are not immediate. So schools can afford to neglect moral values and walk away with it as long as they are doing well academically.

However, findings got by documentary analysis revealed that in principle all the five schools still cherish moral values. This was evident in their mottos, visions, missions, and objectives. For example, three different school mottos were: God, “Discipline, and Academic”, “Hard work and Integrity”; Come to learn, Go to Serve”.

All the teachers examined supported the view that morals values should be emphasised at school. However many of these based their positions on

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chiefly utilitarian rationales, and not necessarily on justifications grounded on Catholic education philosophy. Many argued that moral values are to be emphasised just because they promote academic excellence and market the image of school.

4.5 Roman Catholic Philosophy of Education and Foundational Principles in Social Teaching of Catholic Church

The Catholic education in Uganda operates within the Catholic School mission character and identity, which accordingly continues to emanate from Jesus Christ’s command to his Apostles and the Church “go, teach, make disciples” (Mt 28:18-26). This is juxtaposed with the ten foundational principles in the social teaching of the Catholic Church. These include: The principle of the Dignity of the Human Person, Respect for Human Life, Participation, Solidarity, Stewardship, Subsidiarity, Human Equality, and Common Good. Here are the ten blocks upon which the Church’s entire social teaching rests (Maloney Robert 1998). Therefore the fundamental purpose of Catholic is to articulate the Christian message and its inherent values, to cherish, keep and transmit the “Culture of the sacred in the secular world” Vat II (Decree on Christian education Vatican II Gravissimum Educationis) as it is with the principle of the Dignity of the Human Person that, every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. This is the bedrock principle of Catholic social teaching. Indeed every person regardless of race, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, employment or economic status, health, intelligence, achievement or any other differentiating characteristic, is worthy of respect.

The issue of foundational principles is further highlighted by Maloney Robert (1998) who revealed that:

It is not what you do or what you have that gives you a claim on respect; it is simply being human that establishes your dignity. Given that dignity, the human person is, in the Catholic view, never a means,

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always an end. The body of Catholic social teaching begins with the human person, but it does not end there. Individuals have dignity; but individualism has no place in Catholic social thought. The principle of human dignity gives the human person a claim on membership in a community, the human family.

The principle of Respect for Human Life: Every person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Human life at every stage of development and decline is precious and therefore worthy of protection and respect. It is always wrong directly to attack innocent human life. The Catholic tradition sees the sacredness of human life as part of any moral vision for a just and good society. The Principle of Association: The Catholic Church tradition proclaims that a person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy, directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. The centrepiece of society is the family; family stability must always be protected and never undermined. By association with others in families and in other social institutions that foster growth, protect dignity and promote the common good human persons achieve their fulfilment. The Principle of Participation: We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.10 Without participation, the benefits available to an individual through any social institution cannot be realized. The human person has a right not to be shut out from participating in those institutions that are necessary for human fulfilment. This principle applies in a special way to conditions associated with work.11 Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then due basic rights of workers must be

10 Robert P. Maloney, C.M. Ten Foundational Principles in the Social Teaching of the Church, http://cm-ngo/TenFoundationalPrinciples.html . Retrieved on 12/ 12/2011 11 Ibid

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respected the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.

The Principle of Preferential Protection for the Poor and Vulnerable: We believe that we touch Christ when we touch the needy. The story of the last judgment plays a very important role in the Catholic Faith tradition. From its earliest days, the Church has taught that we will be judged by what we choose to do or not to do in regard to the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the homeless, and the prisoner. Today the Church expresses this teaching in terms of "the preferential option for the poor." The opposite of rich and powerful is poor and powerless. If the good of all, the common good, is to prevail, preferential protection must move toward those affected adversely by the absence of power and the presence of privation. Otherwise the balance needed to keep society in one piece will be broken to the detriment of the whole.

In relation to the study, administrators are a reflection of the Catholic Church and not day time Catholics and night time wizards.

The above issues are not to be in isolation of the Church’s Mission.12 This was further corroborated by Father Ssemambo Chaplain of St. Maria Goretti Katende who asserted that:

The Church is pastoral and missionary in nature. It keeps and guides the deposit of faith as a mission given to all the baptised by divine master who are directly or indirectly involved in the Church’s projects be they secular or spiritual because at the end of the day their goal and end is one; which is the realization of the Ultimate or the Summum bonum

This is clearly shown in the pastoral constitution of the church in modern world (Vatican II Gandium et Spec, 7th December, 1965), Decree on the

12 Mugagga and Genza, (2011), The dilemma of teacher professionalism and commitment in Roman Catholic founded secondary schools in Uganda pp 730-735

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Church’s Missionary Activity (Vatican II Ad Gentes Divinitus, 7th December, 1965) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2003.

The Roman Catholic Church gives careful consideration to the paramount importance of education in life of men and its ever growing influence on the social progress of the age (Vat. II Gravissimum Education 28th Oct. 1965). In order to fulfil its mandate gotten from her founder, the Catholic Church is under obligation to provide real Christian education in its schools. True or real Christian education implies formation of the human person in view of his/her final end

As regards the Principle of Solidarity, Catholic social teaching proclaims that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they live. We are one human family.... Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means learning that `loving our neighbour' has global dimensions in an interdependent world.13 The principle of solidarity leads to choices that will promote and protect the common good. Solidarity calls us to respond not simply to personal, individual misfortunes; there are societal issues that cry out for more just social structures. For this reason the Church often calls us today not only to engage in charitable works but also to work towards social justice.

The Principle of Stewardship: The Catholic tradition insists that we show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. The steward is a manager, not an owner. In an era of rising consciousness about our physical environment, our tradition is calling us to a sense of moral responsibility for the protection of the environment, croplands, grasslands, woodlands, air, water, minerals and other natural deposits. Stewardship responsibilities also look toward our use of our personal talents, our attention to personal health and our use of personal property.

13 Ibid63

The Principle of Subsidiarity: This Principle deals chiefly with "the responsibilities and limits of government, and the essential roles of voluntary associations. The principle of subsidiarity puts a proper limit on government by insisting that no higher level of organization should perform any function that can be handled efficiently and effectively at a lower level of organization by persons or groups that are closer to the problems and closer to the ground. Oppressive governments are always in violation of the principle of subsidiarity; overactive governments also sometimes violate this principle.14

On the other hand, individuals often feel helpless in the face of daunting social problems: unemployment, people sleeping in doorways or begging on street corners. Since these problems have societal dimensions, no one person or one group can do much about them. While giving due regard to subsidiarity, the government entity that collects taxes should help individuals, smaller communities, and the national community to "do something" about such social problems. When we pay taxes, therefore, we are contributing to the establishment of social justice.

The Principle of Human Equality: Equality of all persons comes from their essential dignity.... While differences in talents are a part of God's plan, social and cultural discrimination in fundamental rights... are not compatible with God's design.15 Treating equals equally is one way of defining justice, also understood classically as rendering to each person his or her due. Underlying the notion of equality is the simple principle of fairness; one of the earliest ethical stirrings felt in the developing human person is a sense of what is "fair" and what is not. The Principle of the Common Good: The common good is understood as the social conditions that allow people to reach their full human potential and to realize their human dignity.16 The social conditions the Church has in mind presuppose "respect for the person," "the social well-being and development of the group" and the public 14 Ibid15 Ibid16 Ibid

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authority's maintenance of "peace and security." Today, in an age of global interdependence, the principle of the common good points to the need for international structures that can promote the just development of persons and families across regional and national lines.

What constitutes the common good is always going to be a matter for debate. The absence of sensitivity to the common good is a sure sign of decay in a society. As a sense of community is eroded, concern for the common good declines. A proper communitarian concern is the antidote to unbridled individualism, which, like unrestrained selfishness in personal relations, can destroy balance, harmony and peace within and among groups, neighbourhoods, regions and nations.

However the study revealed that the administrators in Catholic founded government-aided secondary schools seem to lack a comprehensive conception of Catholic education philosophy (Muwagga, 2006). Rather, many of them are preoccupied with “making” students pass, turning schools into “examination drilling centres” (Akankwasa, 1997)

4.6 Responses from the Interview Guides

Many respondents from both the questionnaires and interviews indicated that there were lots of consequences of the 1963 Education Act on the management of schools in Kampala District. These effects have been significantly damaging to the relationship between the State and the Foundation-Bodies in the management of secondary schools in Kampala District.

Government funding

95% of the respondents indicated that many schools gained from the Education Act by getting funding from the government. The latter borrowed heavily from the World Bank, Britain and other countries. This money was

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dished out when missionaries withdrew their support. The money had helped weak schools to develop and had led to increased scholastic materials and vehicles, and this had enabled the government to start sponsoring some of the school projects. The government was also able to put up more buildings on the school compounds and many schools greatly benefited from this new building programme of secondary schools. Although this financial support dropped drastically after Idi Amin’s coup of 1971, it had helped many schools in Kampala District and for that matter the Education Act was more of a blessing in disguise to these schools.

Administration

On administration, 85% of the respondents indicated that the schools gained by receiving well-qualified staff, which was posted to schools by the government on competitive basis. Well-qualified head teachers were also posted to schools regardless of their denominational background. Each school competed for a qualified head teacher and this helped to develop the schools’ administration and improve on the academics. The government agreed that the Foundation-Bodies should advise it on the headship of schools, and this led to competition from religious groups to propose well-qualified teachers as head teachers. These were chosen irrespective of their religious background. Those schools that were considered to be poor were able to get good head teachers who developed them. The head teachers from non-denominational schools gained experience using other methods of discipline than the religious ones. This helped to groom good politicians, and since the 1960’s, many teachers have been successful politicians in Kampala District.

School inspection

85% of the respondents admitted that the inspection of schools, which had been going on quite excellently under management by the Foundation-

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Bodies eventually collapsed in Kampala District. It so happened that the Diocesan Education Secretaries no longer had any control of the schools, and could neither inspect them as before. Without these, the moral and academic standards degenerated tremendously and the discipline and financial control degenerated as well. The government inspectors could take long without inspecting schools, and this subsequently led to a drastic drop in the standards.

Spiritual and moral guidance

The Foundation-Bodies were to be entirely responsible for the spiritual life of the schools. They executed this obligation by providing the chaplains for secondary schools, who would be responsible for leading prayers, services, counselling and guidance, baptism, instructing those to be confirmed, as well as carrying out some other activities. Pastoral care, worship and Church dues were all ensured by the Foundation-Bodies, which helped them to influence the schools spiritually and socially.

Regarding the supervision of schools, the Diocesan Education Secretaries and the parish priests, chaplains and Lay Readers were responsible for carrying out supervision and co-ordination in their respective schools to ensure that church interests were promoted in the schools. The supervision of policies, morality, and other interests of the church were to be done by these Foundation-Bodies, and they had to be well informed of what was going on in their respective schools concerning the moral, spiritual, academic, financial and political aspects.

The Foundation-Bodies were also under obligation to co-ordinate the teaching of Christian Religious Education in church-founded schools, as well as being responsible for formulating the Joint syllabus of CRE in both the primary and secondary schools. In this regard, the Uganda Joint Christian Council was able to formulate the joint syllabus that has helped students to

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develop religious sensitivity, especially on matters that are connected with Christianity. Being the owners of the land and what is on it, they felt compelled to ensure its good use, as well as defending it from intruders, or from selling it. Committees under the chairmanship of the Foundation-Bodies were also entrusted with planning for the expansion of the school buildings, or upgrading the schools.

The Foundation-Bodies were to act as a link between their schools and the State, and organise seminars for chaplains, patrons, and head teachers thereof. They had to ensure that government policies did not encroach on the interests of the Foundation-Bodies. They were to have representatives on the Boards of Governors, which committees were to act as a link between the church-founded schools and the State. They were to play the role of middlemen in most cases and defend the integrity of their schools, the church and even the State. Given this role therefore, the Foundation-Bodies have reason to still console themselves that they control the schools. This explains why they quite often go beyond their official roles and fail to know the extent to which their powers should go in the management of these schools. Therefore the question of who controls what and who owns the schools has for time immemorial been a major problem and source of conflict between the State and the Foundation-Bodies.

The Role of the Government in the Management of Schools in Kampala Archdiocese

As has been observed from some of the respondents, the government was to work hand in hand with the Foundation-Bodies in the management of schools, that is, they were both to be represented on the Boards of Governors. Although the government took over the control of schools from the Foundation-Bodies, the latter were given opportunity to remain with some influence in these schools. 65% of the respondents indicated that the government got actively involved in the management of schools, regarding

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financing, policy-making, staffing, controlling the curriculum, supervision, and management of these schools.

The government entirely become responsible for financing these schools with capitation grants, paying the staff and supporting school projects and other building programmes in schools. The money that government was supposed to give could at times be inadequate and unreliable, but was always supplemented by the parents. Even then, government remained the chief financial supporter of the schools, providing scholastic materials to them. Because of this, the schools had to go by the dictates of the government that supported them financially, rather than that of the Foundation-Bodies that had even devised a policy of demanding unrealistic church dues (fees) from students. It was such allegiance that aggravated the conflicts between the State and the Foundation-Bodies, concerning the management of these schools, and negatively impacted on their administration.

On policy making, the government was to be the main policy-making body in education. In this regard, the Central government through the Ministry of Education and Sports was under obligation to make policies on management, curriculum, financing, staffing, maintenance, examination, inspectorate, the moral code standards and many other policies concerning education. The Local government was to undertake the interpretation and implementation of these policies through the Boards of Governors, the Zone Committees and heads of schools. Some of these policies, especially on staffing, standards, discipline, curriculum and management could even be violating the Foundation-Bodies’ policies, but in most cases they had to be accepted wholesale as the government proved to be the chief sponsor. This policy-making by the State without consultation with the Foundation-Bodies brought misunderstandings on policy and management between the State

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and the Foundation-Bodies, and has been one of the root causes of management conflicts between them.

Concerning the staffing of these schools, all the staffing of government-aided secondary schools in Kampala District was to be done by the Ministry of Education and Sports without consulting the Foundation-Bodies. For instance, teachers had to be interviewed by the Teaching Service Commission and posted by the Ministry of Education and Sports, or the District Education office, on behalf of the Ministry. These teachers had to be paid by the Ministry of Public Service, and were to be appointed, confirmed, posted or transferred on merit other than on religious affiliation. The Foundation-Bodies were to refrain from control on staffing, transferring, dismissing or disciplining any teacher, but could only advise the government on headship, although that role is also fast dying out. This subsequently culminated into problems especially where and when moral issues on staff surfaced.

On curriculum control, this was to be organised and entirely controlled by the government and the Foundation-Bodies had little or no part at all to play. This made Christian Religious Education (CRE) to be an optional subject even in Church-founded secondary schools in Kampala District, to the disappointment of the Foundation-Bodies. This has led the once Christian-based secondary schools to be secular, characterised by moral degeneration. The increased secularisation of the government, coupled with the enrolment of staff and students from different religious denominations, and the control of examinations by the Uganda national Examinations Board (UNEB), other than the Foundation-Bodies themselves has greatly affected the secondary schools in Kampala District.

With regard to supervision of secondary schools, this role was to be performed by the government school supervisors who were based at the District Education office. The Inspectorate at the Ministry of Education and Sports was to be the supreme supervising body in the central government,

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and the Foundation-Bodies were deliberately denied opportunity to participate. However, sometimes due to financial constraints, these inspectors would take quite a long time to fulfil their obligations and this provided a setback in the educational standards of these schools.

Poor Academic Performance

In cases of mismanagement and indiscipline in schools, leading to poor academic performance, the Foundation-Bodies found themselves conflicting with the head teachers and staff as being responsible. 65% of the respondents indicated that during the missionary era, when the Church was in charge of the education system, schools were generally better in discipline and their academic performance was generally good. The schools were well administered with good discipline, and children were taught to be responsible, hard working, and encouraged to work together. However, when government took over schools in 1964, this changed tremendously and indiscipline, irresponsibility, selfishness, mismanagement and greed led to poor academic performance and moral degeneration in schools. This has been a concern of the church since 1964, and has been one of the sources of conflicts in order for the Church to restore this lost glory in those schools that they founded.

Staffing:

The Church is interested in recruitment of staff with the Christian values that it emphasizes, yet the government only values academic qualifications and is interested in religious pluralism. The Church therefore conflicts with the government when the latter ignores the type or quality of teachers the Foundation- Bodies value most. The promotion of denominational values is the type of quality in the staff the Foundation-Bodies would opt for. As a matter of fact, there has always emanated conflicts where the government has posted teachers or head teachers who fall short of adhering to the values of the Foundation- Bodies. Many respondents and documents indicated that even the

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Boards of Governors which used to be chaired and dominated by the Foundation-Bodies have also changed, where the government, Local councils, the staff and the former students are represented. This has hampered the fostering of the Foundation-Bodies’ interests through staffing and in some other areas, leading to conflicts.

Immorality

95% of the respondents and the documents consulted indicated that there have always been conflicts between the government representatives and the Foundation-Bodies because of the immorality among the students and staff. In some schools, drunkard ness, sexual immorality, elopement and other immoral acts have been sources of conflicts. Since the government take over of schools in 1964, there has been considerable laxity in discipline. Before the promulgation of the Education Act in 1964, the church had an upper hand in maintaining discipline in her founded schools. But as of now, teachers in most schools have liberty to do whatever they want and this has led to moral degeneration in those schools, yet it is the feeling of the Foundation-Bodies that the government could be indirectly encouraging this. As guardian of discipline and morality in her founded schools therefore, the church has had to maintain its stand against such actions done by the staff or students.

In situations of sexual immorality and drunkard ness, the Church has strongly condemned these acts and appealed for the transfer of the teachers, head teachers and indefinite suspension or dismissal of students involved. Where the government has been reluctant to respond, conflicts have arisen between the school administrators and the chaplains as well as parish priests of those schools.

The deterioration in the school standards, academic performance, discipline and economic development brought lamentations from the Foundation- Bodies, which claimed to have lost greatly, and are thus trying to regain their control of schools using diplomatic means. It is this indirect control of schools that

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explains the excellent performance of most of the church-founded secondary schools in Kampala District. All the respondents indicated that the question of who owns the schools was the root cause of conflicts, although it was clear that the government had a greater control or influence in the management of schools. The majority of the respondents indicated that this problem contributed to the sour relationship between the State and the Foundation-Bodies, as the latter were going beyond their boundaries, and the State seemed to execute school policies without prior notification, or consultation of the Foundation-Bodies.

The Role of a Chaplain in a Catholic School

The early schools set up by the missionaries were headed by missionaries themselves assisted by some local Africans carefully selected. For example, the catholic college-Namilyango opened on 22nd March 1902 had Fr. Mindrop, a (Mill Hill Missionary-MHM), as its first Director (Tourigny 1997). The active involvement of the missionaries in education enabled them to easily impart Christian values, principles and learners. The local clergy, Bishop of the area all took a keen interest in the schools so founded. This facilitated the reinforcement of values learnt in the teacher training colleges to be put in practice in schools. The teachers and school administrators of this time as well as the products of the school system are often talked about with kind words, parental, exemplary, morally upright, committed, dedicated-all attributes of a Christian well grounded in the Christian teaching, values and philosophy.

On the role of parish pastors, the catholic education policy (1986) indicates that through the schools, the church wants to impart Christian religious education to the students. The parish pastors/chaplains are duty bound to reach all schools in order to fulfil their pastoral duties to the catholic community therein. Parish priests are expected to visit catholic founded schools once or several times a month during for the purpose of religious and liturgical celebrations.

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The study found out that after independence, the government has tried all it can to erode the powers of the church in Church-founded schools. In government aided but church founded schools the powers of recruitment of both of both staff and students, policy making have all been centralised in the Ministry of Education and Sports. The effect of this of this entire treacherous move by government on church founded institutions is manifest in the last zeal and interest in the affairs of catholic founded schools by many priests. The school management committee rules of 1969 exclude the religious bodies on membership of these policy-making organs. The church has a history of resilience to oppress forces and expected to fight for its rightful position in the management of catholic founded schools rather than shy away. The discrepancy in performance between catholic founded primary schools and catholic founded schools clearly illuminates this point. In secondary schools where the church still plays an active role, these schools have continued to dominate the success story of education in Uganda.17

There is general observation that the Catholic Church has an obligation through schools to promote their pupils’ spiritual life, grounding in the truth of catholic faith, a recognition and acceptance of good morals, norms and vivid sense of social responsibility. Catholic students trained from catholic school should have a sense of discernment, appreciation and self-control in their relationship towards God, themselves and their fellowmen. All these stress the invaluable contribution that chaplains are expected to make in schools. They are expected to as well implement the moral agenda18

17 Ibid18 Ibid

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Chart 4 Showing Organisational Structure of Catholic Schools/

Institutions

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BISHOP

EPISCOPAL VICAR FOR EDUCATION

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Academic and Disciplinary Committee

Finance and General Purpose Committee

HEAD TEACHER

Deputy Head teacher

Director of Studies Staff

Source: Field Work

The chart above illustrates the organisational structure of Catholic schools in Kampala Archdiocese. The Bishop is at the top, and appoints the Board of Governors and Head teachers through the Episcopal Vicar for Education. Under the Board of Governors, there are two major committees, that is, Academic and disciplinary committees and finance and general purpose committees. The deputy reports to the head teacher while the teaching and non-teaching staff reports to the deputy head teacher. From the chart, the student leaders operate under the teaching staff.

The catholic schools are an important part of the wide community in which e they exist. Catholic schools contribute to the diversity and cohesiveness of their communities, imparting religious, economic, cultural and civic values. A hub of the local community, the catholic school is a meeting ground for families from a variety of circumstances which generally reflect the patterns in Ugandan community.

Thus, Catholic education takes on an important role, he said, aiming at favoring the physical, intellectual and moral development of the human person, toward the full awareness and dominion of himself, the taking on of responsibilities, participation in values and the common good. Cardinal Grocholewski said there are three fundamental goals for Catholic education: the effective proclamation of the Gospel, entrance into the life of liturgy and prayer, and the religious, spiritual and moral maturing of the student. This implies, therefore an education that takes charge of the

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Student Leaders

integral growth of the student, in all of his dimensions. He added, This means acting according to an anthropological concept that thinks of the student as a life to be promoted, a life with a transcendent dimension, and as a person to encourage and support in the process of human maturation so that it becomes possible to reach the plenitude of his potential and aspirations, and so that he finds in Christ, the perfect man, the model to follow.

And, the cardinal continued, Catholic education should begin in the family. Today, he said, it is necessary that families "take up again the educational function that pertains to them. In the warmth of the family home, in fact, the first school of life and social virtues is found, the first and irreplaceable school of citizenship and faith, of becoming sensitive to values," the Vatican official added. Cardinal Grocholewski went on to say that Catholic education is open to everyone and not reserved to Catholics alone. He noted that in countries of non-Christian majority or in developing nations, Catholic schools play a role of civil progress, promotion of the person, enculturation, and interreligious dialogue. Still, the cardinal affirmed, Catholic schools should not be hypocritical: that is, say they are Catholic and avoid transmitting Christian values. He also criticized governments that do not enable freedom in choosing Catholic education. 19

19 Catholic Education Commission of Victoria 2005, Leadership in Catholic Schools’ Development Pg 4277

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS

5.1 Introduction

As seen from the findings, secularisation has led to deterioration of moral performance and eventual educational performance. The relationship between the Ministry of Education/State and the Foundation-Bodies has been rather poor, regarding the management of schools in Kampala Archdiocese. The root cause of this mess is the 1964 Education Act, which took away control of the schools from the founders without prior consultation, thorough preparation and planning. The 1963 Education Act messed up the relationships and this has been the mother of battles on school management between the government and the Foundation-Bodies. This is further worsened further following the government’s decision to have a dual management system in schools, where the Foundation-Bodies provided the chairmanship of the Boards of Governors, the supreme governing bodies in secondary schools. This brought confusion on who owns the schools.

According to the views of the respondents and the written reports, secularisation has affected the schools concerned in many ways. For

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instance, some good head teachers and teachers have been compelled to transfer to other schools, leading to a decline in academic performance. There has also been increased indiscipline among the staff and students, taking advantage of this loophole. Due to these loopholes, many schools have failed to develop spiritually, economically and structurally, as sabotage and malice have been stumbling blocks in the development of schools.

5.2 Teaching and Administrative Staff Recruitment Procedures

The researcher observed that, head teachers, teachers and some other supportive staff are appointed and posted to government-aided schools on academic, professional and gender merits. This affects the way the catholic values are to be imparted. This is in line with Kasibante (2001) who says that they are obliged to be available for any work station (school) decided for them by the appointing authority, which is the Ministry of Education and Sports. A qualified teacher can be posted to any government-aided school, he/she being a civil servant. The study found that, from the point of view of the church-founded schools, this policy has never been fully accepted because it negatively impinges on the purpose of the founders, on the desired character of the school20. Kasibante and Kiwanuka observe that the government, which is in charge of formulating and implementing education policies, training and employing them, stands in an unassailable position and it often lectures the foundation bodies of the school without listening to them on matters of concerning the staffing of schools, posting of Head teachers or any other issues and concerns.

Teachers and Head teachers play a role of delegate from the delegator, as Kizza Abdullah puts it that, delegation is the ability to entrust to others the responsibility for a task, the authority necessary to accomplish the task and the accountability for the results of the accomplished task.21

20 Interview with Reverend Father Kizito Kirenga at Mitala Maria Episcopal Zone, 19 th November 200921 Presentation by Kizza Abdullah, Head teacher Namasumbi SS, Administrative Workshop for Teaching and Support Staff held on 31st January 2006, at Namasumbi SS

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According to the views of respondents and written reports, it has been found out that the head teachers recruited in catholic-founded schools are accountable to the appointing authority rather than the founding body. This has resulted into conflict of interest as head teachers may concentrate on academic performance more and ignore the catholic ethos in catholic schools. There has also been increased indiscipline among the staff and students, taking advantage of these conflicts in schools. Due to these misunderstandings, schools’ performance has been retarded as sabotage and malice have been stumbling blocks in this development.

5.3 Governance and Management of Government-aided Schools

According to Nsubuga, Y.K, school governance is the process of formulating policies within the framework of the National Education Policy, and of laying down strategic plans to achieve high standards of achievement. It ensures that there are effective systems in place to monitor progress and to provide the evidence required by Board of Governors to evaluate outcomes, while Management is the process of ensuring that policies and plans are implemented within the agreed timeframe, on a day-today basis. It includes gathering evidence to facilitate evaluation.22 This is parallel with the aims of Catholic Church as founder body which centres on the values, discipline of teachers and the implied survival of the catholic tradition in these schools. Basing on this the aims of government and Catholic Church are not harmonious. Every school is required by law to have a Board of Governors if it is a secondary school. Board of Governors can request support from officers from the Ministry of Education and Sports if they need clarify legal position for their schools but not the founders (Catholic- church). For avoidance of any doubt, the Board shall have functions conferred on it by sub-section 2 of section 7 of the Act.23 The study identified the various specific responsibilities of the Board of Governors versus the core 22 Presentation by Nsubuga, Y .K, Commissioner for Secondary Education, Ministry of Education and Sports on the inauguration of the Board of Governors of Namasumbi SS on 26th June 200423 Board of governors Regulations Act 1991

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responsibilities of head teachers and teachers in catholic schools. For example the Board is exclusively expected link and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Sports in matters of Government policy, ensure that the Head teacher appropriately administers any funds and assets of the school on its behalf, decide the overall budget for the school after considering recommendations from the finance committee and enter into contracts on behalf of the school and support the head teacher and staff through provisions of advice and information. This is in contrast with enhancers of professionalism and commitment in a Roman Catholic paradigm. These include attending church prayers on very regular basis and encouraging students to do the same, putting on the rosary, praying before and after a lesson out of personal convicting, agreeing to do extra work without pay and purposefully transmitting the Roman Catholic values and beliefs, such as love for Virgin Mary and Saints. Therefore the aims of founding body and government are incompatible thus affecting educational and moral performance of students in Catholic government-aided schools. These roles are very critical but the founding body (Catholic Church) is not part and parcel of the system. The founding body does not regulate the meetings of Board of governors yet the board is very critical in making important decisions for the general running and management of the school. For instance the Board of Governors must meet at least once a term.

Increased denominationalism and sectarianism has widened due to the governance and management of catholic-founded government aided schools. 75% of the respondents indicted that, there has also been conflict between the Board of Governors and the Commissioners from the Ministry of Education. The latter is comprised of the Foundation-Body members as the majority. Because of conflicts there has been mismanagement of schools coupled with I “do not care” attitude, which has been evident in some schools. There has also been the introduction of church fee in these schools, culminating in increased suspicion on government side. Mistrust has also led

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some schools to be led by priests and Nuns in order to promote the interests of the church. In some cases, the Foundation-Bodies have withdrawn and played an entirely passive role, which has led to the deterioration of structures and to moral decadence in schools.

5.4 The Role of the Government in the Management of Schools

As has been observed from some of the respondents, the government was to work hand in hand with the Foundation-Bodies in the management of schools, that is, they were both to be represented on the Boards of Governors. Although the government took over the control of schools from the Foundation-Bodies, the latter were given opportunity to remain with some influence in these schools. 65% of the respondents indicated that the government got actively involved in the management of schools, regarding financing, policy-making, staffing, controlling the curriculum, supervision, and management of these schools.

The government entirely become responsible for financing these schools with capitation grants, paying the staff and supporting school projects and other building programmes in schools. The money that government was supposed to give could at times be inadequate and unreliable, but was always supplemented by the parents. Even then, government remained the chief financial supporter of the schools, providing scholastic materials to them. Because of this, the schools had to go by the dictates of the government that supported them financially, rather than that of the Foundation-Bodies that had even devised a policy of demanding unrealistic church dues (fees) from students. It was such allegiance that aggravated the conflicts between the State and the Foundation-Bodies, concerning the management of these schools, and negatively impacted on their performance.

On policy making, the government was to be the main policy-making body in education. In this regard, the Central government through the Ministry of

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Education and Sports was under obligation to make policies on management, curriculum, financing, staffing, maintenance, examination, inspectorate, the moral code standards and many other policies concerning education. The Local government was to undertake the interpretation and implementation of these policies through the Boards of Governors, the Zone Committees and heads of schools. Some of these policies, especially on staffing, standards, discipline, curriculum and management could even be violating the Foundation-Bodies’ policies, but in most cases they had to be accepted wholesale as the government proved to be the chief sponsor. This policy-making by the State without consultation with the Foundation-Bodies brought misunderstandings on policy and management between the State and the Foundation-Bodies, and has been one of the root causes of management conflicts between them and thus affecting educational performance.

Concerning the staffing of these schools, all the staffing of government-aided secondary schools in Kampala District was to be done by the Ministry of Education and Sports without consulting the Foundation-Bodies. For instance, teachers had to be interviewed by the Teaching Service Commission and posted by the Ministry of Education and Sports, or the District Education office, on behalf of the Ministry. These teachers had to be paid by the Ministry of Public Service, and were to be appointed, confirmed, posted or transferred on merit other than on religious affiliation. The Foundation-Bodies were to refrain from control on staffing, transferring, dismissing or disciplining any teacher, but could only advise the government on headship, although that role is also fast dying out. This subsequently culminated into problems especially where and when moral issues on staff surfaced.

On curriculum control, this was to be organised and entirely controlled by the government and the Foundation-Bodies had little or no part at all to play. This made Christian Religious Education (CRE) to be an optional subject even

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in Church-founded secondary schools in Kampala District, to the disappointment of the Foundation-Bodies. This has led the once Christian-based secondary schools to be secular, characterised by moral degeneration. The increased secularisation of the government, coupled with the enrolment of staff and students from different religious denominations, and the control of examinations by the Uganda national Examinations Board (UNEB), other than the Foundation-Bodies themselves has greatly affected the secondary schools in Kampala Archdiocese.

With regard to supervision of secondary schools, this role was to be performed by the government school supervisors who were based at the District Education office. The Inspectorate at the Ministry of Education and Sports was to be the supreme supervising body in the central government, and the Foundation-Bodies were deliberately denied opportunity to participate. However, sometimes due to financial constraints, these inspectors would take quite a long time to fulfil their obligations and this provided a setback in the educational standards of these schools.

95% of the respondents and many documents indicated that because of the 1963 Education Act, the Foundation-Bodies lost control of schools in Uganda. This had short term and long-term consequences on the education system. Although secondary schools in Kampala District apparently gained financially, administratively, socially and patriotically from this Act, but these benefits were short-lived due to the political turmoil that followed, coupled with corruptive tendencies that culminated into economic, moral, and academic decline in schools, especially in rural areas. All the same, the government preferred and attempted to emphasize co- existence in the management of schools with the Foundation-Bodies, on the Boards of Governors.

The Ministry of Education and Sports has identified the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for secondary schools. These are not in conformity

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with the mission of catholic-founded schools24. The Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards cover the following aspects; overall management of the school, structures and facilities provision and management, students organisation and development, finance generation and management, staff organisation and development and co-curricular activities organisation and development.25 These are bench marks and standards which provide a framework for schools to check the strengths of their provision and areas where improvement is required. However the core value of catholic education which is training of the mind, spirituality and morality which sums up the fundamental aim of church in education is not catered for26 as Nsubuga, Y.K, commissioner for secondary education puts it; provision of Education and particularly at Secondary Education level is a joint venture and partnership between Government and parents.

31% of the respondents indicated that the Roman Catholics have generally looked after their schools very well since they did not completely surrender their schools. They are very strict on discipline, financial management, and moral integrity as well as staffing. The supervision of schools by their education secretaries is very good and thus they still hold that the schools belong to them. They have been devoting their money, time and energy to maintain the structures and to keep the high standard of discipline in schools. The Catholic Church has also trained manpower and many of their schools are led by Nuns, Priests or Brothers who are highly trained and qualify for headship of their church-founded schools. Even the chaplains posted in schools have qualifications in education, and can as well teach and are paid by the government in schools. However 71% disregards the above ideal on grounds that the church is not involved fully involved to contribute

24 Tiberondwa, A. Missionary Teachers as Agents of Colonialism in Uganda25 Presentation by Nsubuga, Y .K, Commissioner for Secondary Education, Ministry of Education and Sports on the inauguration of the Board of Governors of Namasumbi SS on 26th June 200426 Catholic Education Policy Guidelines 1982 and 1986

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as regards decision making, for instance the Ministry of Education did not involve the church as the stake holder in the strategic plan 2004-2015.

The catholic education policy (1986) states that, as the church’s fundamental objective in establishing school levels and types to be the education and training of Ugandans for a meaningful life of service. The students are to be facilitated among others with: proper hygiene conditions at school, a reasonable programme for cultural activities, recreation, games and sports, good buildings and furniture and proper staff. Students should be given services of: religious, spiritual and moral education, adequate and appropriate career guidance, counselling, and services of senior woman/man, social grace, practical leadership skills and study skills. This is in line with Kasibante (1997) who asserts that; the essential aim of catholic education is to civilise and evangelise the nations through the use of education.

5.5 Vision, Mission and Goals of Catholic Education 

The study found out that, the Vision for Catholic Education envisage the following defining features of a catholic school, for instance, Catholic Schools should have a consistent commitment to Gospel values, Play an integral role in the evangelizing mission of the Church, Model God's love for all by being a renewing community where all are valued, affirmed and empowered, Be staffed by qualified, competent people who give witness to Gospel values, Be communities of learning that provide quality, relevant, holistic education, Be sacred places where the spiritual life is nurtured and welcoming and open to all who seek a Catholic education. The mission is to provide services to Catholic school communities which support them in achieving ethics and quality outcomes for students and in promoting the ongoing development of Catholic Education. The study identified mainly three major goals of catholic education, that is, to promote and celebrate the Catholic identity (God fearing people) of our schools and to develop fully the

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talents and capacities of all students in our Catholic schools and Academic Excellency. However the study observed that; the above ideal was non existent in almost all the five schools surveyed.

70% of the respondents indicate that the catholic institution has strategic directions which forms the basis of governance and management these include give faithful witness to the Mission of the Church expressed through the daily work carried out in each Catholic school, create in each Catholic school an ethic of personal responsibility to provide hospitality and support for inclusiveness, educate each student towards maturity in faith, leadership and responsible citizenship and foster partnership with parents, careers and families in their role in children's education including the primary role in faith education. The study found out that, the church given chance, through the implementation of our Strategic Directions, we work toward achieving our goals and living out our mission and vision27. This requires collective wisdom and generosity of spirit in discerning priorities within contexts which are changing and challenging. The Father further noted that, the church work toward enhancing the capacity of Catholic Education, to be faithful to the Mission of the Church, placing the needs of the children we educate at the heart of our deliberations.28 On this note, the major challenge is how the Vision, Mission and Goals of Catholic Education fit in with the wider vision and mission of the government (Secularisation). I came that they may have life and have it abundantly29. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, He has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor, sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed30. The goal of education is to teach the students to live, to discover the deeper meaning of life and of transcendence, to learn to

27 Interview with Reverend Father Anthony Mpungu, Assistant Education Secretary, Wakiso Episcopal Z one at Wakiso on 29 th October 200928 Ibid29 The Good News Bible, John 10:10 30 The Good News Bible, Luke 4:18-19.

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interact with others, love creation, think freely and critically, find fulfilment in work, plan their future, or in one word, to learn ‘to be’. It is in and through education that one can hope for a more human and humane future and a more harmonious society31.

Special efforts should be made to enable students: to think for themselves independently and critically, to seek, extend and apply knowledge to the solution of human problems, to continually strive after excellence in every field, to become mature, spiritually aware, men and women of character, to value and judiciously use their freedom, combining with it a full sense of responsibility for actions, to be clear and firm on principles and courageous in action, to be unselfish in the service of their fellowmen and concerned for the welfare of the poor and socially oppressed and to become agents of needed social change in their own situations. This argument is supported by the Education policy 1986 that, education has an acculturating role. It refines sensitivities and perceptions that contribute to national cohesion, a scientific temper and independence of mind and spirit – thus furthering the goals of socialism, secularism and democracy enshrined in our Constitution.32

There is often a wrong understanding of ‘Catholic Education’. It is not a system glued to individualism, ambition, competition, mere academic results, grading and standardizing. Catholic Education in the true sense produces persons with thought and feeling, with eagerness to share, persons who are capable of looking to nobler things in life. It has reference to things like the all-round development of the person, humanism, authentic values, intellectual curiosity and acuteness, aesthetic sensitivity, reading habits, character formation, social awareness, healthy relationships, refined manners, dignified self-presentation, intelligent and clear self-expression, good diction and thoroughness about everything one does.

31 Consecrated Persons and their Mission at Schools, 2002 Pg 82 32 National Policy on Education 1986 pg 2

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Intellectual advance or facility in the use of English should not lead gifted students to mental sophistication, softening of character, superiority complex, embarrassment about their original identity, distancing themselves from the community they come from, abhorrence of anything connected with manual labour, abandonment of their original simplicity and willingness to mix with ordinary people. Education also enables the youth to understand the vital role of various professions, grass root organisations and people’s movements that actively contribute to transform and recreate society.

When looking at the role and mission of Catholic Education one who is not familiar with the foundation of Catholic Education may view it as a religious based system directed and operated by Religious Sisters or Priests who are disciplined and demand the best from their students. Other individuals or groups may view Catholic Education let alone Catholic Schools as monarchies of education that direct a strict adherence to Church teaching and a regimented course curriculum that again must be adhered to. Laying emphasis on the formation of the whole person in spiritual, moral, material and intellectual fields, through schools built by Catholic Church has been a major tool through which the church carries on its evangelisation mission taking these possibly perceived though very general viewpoints on Catholic Education, one is who is sincerely considering Catholic Education for their child or children ought to view how Catholic Education has always taken care of the soul and mind of the child.

The order and structure of Catholic Education is rooted on a proper understanding of the child’s role in society in light of being created in the image and likeness of God. Now, for some this comment may seem extreme or take on an imposition of beliefs. The aim and mission of Catholic education rests on this relationship with Christ where all academic disciplines follow suit.

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One of the greatest Catholic Educators in the Church St. Augustine professed that the mission of Catholic Education is to “assist the child find and encounter a relationship with Jesus Christ.” St. Paul in his instruction to St. Timothy urges him teach the truth and that those who do not teach in keeping with our Lord Jesus Christ is full of conceit and knows nothing. The order and structure of Catholic Education is rooted on a proper understanding of the child’s role in society in light of being-created in the image and likeness of God. Understanding this point, Catholic Schools exist to assist in the formation of a proper Christian Anthropology to every student. The foundation of this Christian Anthropology rests primarily with the parent. The Catholic School aims at assisting the development of the child’s understanding of his/her relationship with Jesus Christ.

Another pillar of Catholic Education in forming the heart and mind of the child is exposing the virtues of Faith and Reason. These key virtues serve as perennial pillars of instructing a child. However with secularisation of government-aided schools, such ideal is not incorporated in education system and the general running and management of the catholic founded schools. A vibrant and faithful Catholic community deposits a strong Christ-centred environment where the child is treated as an actual human being in the image and likeness of God. Part of this environment rests on the Catholic School Teacher and their witness of the faith that should ultimately lead to the question of “how am I going to lead these children to a deeper moral understanding of the world centred on Jesus Christ?” Thus, resting on the points mentioned, the mission of Catholic Education is to engage the soul of the child.

This calculated engagement intertwines every academic discipline taught. It is a process by which a balance between faith and reason as mentioned before, is carefully constructed within the framework of the lesson plan. The purpose is not to have the child regurgitate information to the teacher.

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Catholic schools aim at assisting the child to have moral clarity and utilize the attributes of Reason, Religion, and Kindness as expressed by the Great Catholic Educator St. John Bosco. These principles serve an overarching methodology a Catholic Teacher should employ as a means to cultivate the whole of the child. The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education states in its document entitled: The Catholic School when it comes to the actual instruction of the student within the school, the Catholic school teacher must exhibit a constant reference to the Gospel and a frequent encounter with Christ within the educational framework. The result of this methodology, a child experiences his dignity as a human person. Reverend Father Anthony Mpungu further asserts that, a student who attends one of our Catholic Schools should not leave with a lower zeal for his faith. On the contrary, the Catholic School should serve as one of the primary vehicles where the student desires a deeper understanding of his faith. It is not enough to espouse our children to be good persons. Goodness is a key attribute in the development of the human being. However, we cannot forget the important virtues of moral truth as key characteristics that our students will take from their Catholic education33.

The purpose of establishing and supporting catholic schools therefore, is to ensure that students attending catholic schools are able to achieve their educational potential and experiences and understand Christian message, in order that they can discern the relevance of our faith to life and contemporary culture. To achieve this, the church focuses its energies on two overarching goals as we support parents in educating their children. The study identified mainly two goals to be achieved, that is; to promote and celebrate the catholic identity of our schools and to develop fully the talents and capacities of all students in our schools. To achieve these goals requires a VISION that interprets the MISSION OF THE CHURCH within our contemporary and diverse Ugandan society. Unfortunately the above ideal 33 Consecrated Persons and their Mission at Schools, 2002 Pg 82

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was not fully envisaged in all the church founded government aided schools in which the study was conducted.

There is poor co-ordination between chaplains and the appointing authority (Ministry of Education). Supervision of staffing, discipline, buildings, land, morality, religious education and the schools is generally lacking, and where it is done it is even insufficient. There are very few seminars or refresher courses for the Clergy, head teachers, Patrons and Chaplains on leadership, and the role of the Foundation-Bodies in the management of schools. This leaves them ignorant and indeed this is as a result of secularisation.

CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSION

6.1 Introduction

The study sets out to investigate secularisation and educational performance in church founded government-aided schools with reference to Kampala Archdiocese. A number of objectives guided the investigations. The study was set out to investigate the fear that catholic founded schools in Kampala Archdiocese had side-tracked the original aims of their founders and an attempt to investigate the impact that the trend of secularisation has had on the educational and moral performance of catholic founded government-aided secondary schools. Different issues were outlined. The summary of the findings, general recommendations and conclusion, are presented in this chapter.

6.2 Governance and Management of Government-aided Secondary Schools

At present, the Catholic Church has little influence in administration of its schools that are government-aided, on teachers, on the schools’ financial management, on their physical development and maintenance, and

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students’ upbringing and general discipline. The general characteristic of the catholic schools is said to be in many ways depressing, with no definite catholic ethos, steadily drifting towards secularism and being run by civil servants of a secular state, who are outside the control and authority of the church, and who do not necessarily care for Christian values in education.

6.3 Mission, Vision and Goals of Catholic Founded Schools

The early Catholic Missionaries set the general purpose of catholic education to be holistic training of an individual/learner. A system of education, which would not care for the training of the mind and body, without religious and moral was considered incomplete and a total failure. The spiritual interests of the learner were of paramount importance. Many of the respondents seem to have a belief in co-existence of positive link between spirituality and morality. Others believe in a link between education and morality. The study found out that the positive link between the three facets: Education, spirituality and morality sums up fundamental aim of the catholic education. The link of the three elements would bring about a useful individual, useful to his/her fellow men, to the country as a whole, to all humanity and to himself. The following Vision defining features were identified throughout the study, these include: Catholic schools in Kampala Archdiocese have a consistent commitment to Gospel values, play an integral role in the evangelising mission of the church, be staffed by qualified, competent people who give witness to gospel values. As regards the goals, two were mainly hinted upon by several respondents, that is; to promote and celebrate the catholic identity of catholic schools and to develop fully the talents and capacities of all students in catholic schools. The outstanding Mission of Catholic schools it to provide services to catholic communities which support them in achieving quality outcomes for students and in promoting the ongoing development of catholic education.

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6.4 Moral Values in Catholic-founded Schools

Catholic education not only contributes to the church’s mission but also to the local communities in which catholic school exists. A systems approach is grounded in the belief that, “the work of the school is irreplaceable and the investment of human and material resources in the school becomes prophetic choice”. This requires a system approach to funding and the establishment of a range of catholic education office works towards creating an atmosphere of local autonomy and responsibility within each school community. The study observed that, many catholic schools have greatly deviated and diverted from catholic aims of education and original purpose, quality, spirituality, morality and character formation. Catholic education is at the crossroads with main stakeholders like the clergy, laity, school managers and teachers being non-focused about the church official teaching, documents and canons that regulate and justify catholic education. Catholic founded government-aided schools are obsessed with first grade obsession that is ruining catholic schools.

However according to the study, kindness, obedience, fairness, responsibility, self-respect and humility were the most emphasised moral values according to teachers, students, administrators

6.5 Moral Character Development

Catholic founded Government-aided secondary schools in the ideal sense are anchored in Christian specifically Roman Catholic values. There are two value stances in catholic founded secondary schools namely academic and spiritual values. Most administrators espouse academic values as such most students are performing well academically. The spiritual values are in most cases ignored by most school administrators.

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6.5 Recommendations

Basing on the findings, the following recommendations have been generated. It is hoped that they can lead to the realisation of acceptable teaching ethics and improved education system under secularisation.

1. It is recommended that schools should be helped to toe the original aims of their founders and foundational principles in the social teaching of Catholic Church by strengthening the inspectorate wing of the education office, teacher training programmes be enriched with moral education, cooperation of all stakeholders be cultivated and strengthened, chaplains be given clear job roles and descriptions, the catholic values be stressed in catholic schools. The education office continues to design catholic education policies and the government should come in to oversee and guide in case any thing happens which may sour the relationship. School Boards and management committees should work for development of schools, visionary heads be appointed to head catholic schools.

2. Qualified and competent staff should be recruited and retained who are sensitive to the aims of the Founding Body and who provide ‘quality education’, in consonance with Gospel and catholic values. This will involve professionalism which implies to teachers’ adherence to the code of conduct, which pivots on the virtues of respect, honesty, integrity trust, equality, service, fairness and tolerance. True professionalism in a catholic environment entails a number of things namely; making a school place of Godliness and good upbringing of the learners, giving knowledge and skill that will enable the learners to live useful lives in life, fostering the learners awareness of their responsibility to God and their neighbour, and forming persons with a right conscience, that is very vital given nature of society today; where many individuals are thieves, corrupt and ethically deficient in matters of sex, money and their general spirituality.

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3. Administrators should aim at developing students’ morals because moral character is the foundation upon which civility, nationhood and national development stand. The catholic philosophy of education emphasises this role, pursuant to its commitment to the promotion of individual and community development

4. The catholic institution should maintain her integrity and remain a credible witness in society: the Church maintains a high level of credibility in society. This is based on proven record of commitment and practice. This credibility should be maintained by evolving a Code of Conduct and ways and means for its effective implementation so that Church-related institutions continue to be sources of inspiration and powerful witnesses in a corruption-prone society.

5. The policy and guideline documents may be introduced to staff but revisited every year. Where possible explain the underpinning church’s position rather than over stress rules and regulations. The findings of the study revealed that there is no regular inspection of schools and this could be the reason for the unprofessional practices in some of catholic founded schools. It is therefore recommended that school inspection is intensified. The inspectorate department of Ministry of Education and Sports, parents, local authorities, the foundation bodies and other stakeholders should do this inspection. The inspection should be regularly done to ensure that schools are established and run according to the professionally acceptable standards. This will be a monitoring system to ensure that schools observe objectives of the founders.

6 It was revealed that head teachers posted to Catholic secondary schools, should head these institutions basing on foundational principles in the social teaching of the Catholic Church, rather than basing on politics. The Moral values like honesty, respect, integrity among others should be also

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considered as bench marks for posting head teachers and other administrators.

7 There is need for the government and the Foundation-Bodies to emphasize the moral codes of both the students and the staff in order to stop indiscipline and moral degeneration in schools. The government and the Foundation-Bodies’ officials should show the best example of moral and financial integrity before enforcing it on schools. A combined effort in enforcing discipline and morality in schools should be done by the government, the parents and the teachers other than being left to the Church or school administration alone.

8 Many respondents recommended that since the government is almost apparently failing to maintain the schools, it should hand them over to the Foundation-Bodies and just give grants as well as paying the staff, as the case was before the 1963 Education Act, when the management of schools was in the hands of the Founder Agencies. This will be in line with principle of subsidiarity which stresses and puts limit on government intervention in functions which can efficiently and effectively be performed at lower levels by groups or organisations closer to the problems and closer to the ground.

This will enhance administration and management, and improve standards, rather than the dual management as it is now.

There should be compulsory church services and assemblies in all Church-founded schools, as this enhances morality and the feeling of the Foundation-Bodies. In addition, the teaching of Moral Education should be compulsory in Catholic secondary schools to fulfil the aim of the founders, and to improve the spiritual standards of the schools. The Church should also limit further hand-over of her schools in its educational expansion and consolidate what it already has, especially the secondary schools.

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General ConclusionBasing on the overall findings and discussion, it is worth concluding that secularisation has compromised moral performance in church founded government aided secondary schools. Secularisation entails taking over the general management of catholic schools. The after effects of this secularisation are manifest in the erosion of order that characterised catholic schools, precisely; falling educational performance, lack of devotion to duty of many head teachers and staff, dilapidated schools and lack of physical development in schools. There is moral degeneration in many schools and discipline has deteriorated tremendously due to the State control of schools, and the reduced powers of the Foundation-Bodies. This has not only affected moral performance but also the academic performance of the schools. It is worth noting that the ethics of the Catholic Church has been compromised. The study has been important in revealing the fact that while these schools are existing in structures, manpower and high enrolments, the study findings show that the schools are Catholic in nature but in practice they are secular. Therefore if the ethical values of the Catholic Church are to be rejuvenated, then the institutions have to go back over the core ten building blocks upon which the Church’s social teaching rests. The structures of some schools are in a sole state due to lack of funding and irresponsibility from both the State and the Foundation-Bodies, and there is urgent need of rehabilitation and refurbishment before the buildings collapse.

The schools are conspicuously deviating from objectives of their foundation; more and more emphasis is now being put on academic performance than on the integral development of students especially with regard to morality and spirituality. The catholic education policy outlines the roles of the head teacher in a catholic school to include:- shaping the character/culture of the institution, setting high standards of work and the degree of success, involving the parents and the community in the growth and development of

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their children and of the institution itself, setting priorities, aims and strategies of his administration, effective supervision of teaching and non teaching staff, initiating planning for the institution, being a custodian of all movable property of the school, being a living example, a committed and practicing catholic. However there is a controversy of who should head these catholic founded schools. The priests, religious sisters or brothers, or the Laity; perhaps the religious and priests are more committed Catholics than the laity.

On efficiency it was considered that the need to undertake a conscious assessment/evaluation of original goals and aspirations of the founders of these schools was a necessary imperative especially after existence of formal education for a century, or so. In view of this the study recommends that there should be an investigation and subsequently unveil to various stakeholders and any other interested persons as to whether the catholic founded schools were still being managed and administered in accordance with the original intending goals and aspirations. In brief the study intended to examine the genesis of various deviations from perceived trends, morals, attitudes and above all, goals of catholic founded schools. In doing this, prognosis and possible prevention (where applicable) and subsequent remedy would, of necessity, be isolated and advanced.

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