The Catholic Education Unit of Navrongo – Bolgatanga Diocese is a community of Catholic faith and learning, committed to nurturing educated, informed, fulfilled and socially responsible citizens.
WHO WE ARE
“There’s no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There’s no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they grow up in Peace. “(Kofi Annan, Former Ghanaian diplomat: 7th UN Secretary-General and 2001 Nobel Peace Prize Winner.
“States, Parties shall protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse” ( Article 28 of the Republican Constitution of Ghana “. This, therefore, serves a guide to parents, teachers/volunteers as well as children in schools managed by the Catholic Education Unit in the Dioceses of Navrongo -Bolgatanga.
We are a community of Catholic faith and learning, committed to nurturing educated, informed, fulfilled and socially responsible citizens. Catholic Education aims to create “Child Safe” environments, both internally and externally. Where children are respected, protected, empowered on their own protection, and where staff are skilled, confident, and competent, and well supported in meeting their protection responsibilities. Our diocesan schools provide a caring, positive, safe, and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical, and moral development of the individual child in the school.
OBJECTIVES
While promoting and providing a safe and supportive learning environment is an essential function for all schools, we have particularly strong and clear reasons for doing this as Catholic schools. For us, making the school a place of safety, a nurturing community of care, is an essential part of our ethos and underpins our commitment to the protection of the child. We strive to ensure a culture where all acknowledge and understand that child‘s protection is the responsibility of everyone.
Important in developing this culture is:
- The education of our children about personal safety strategies.
- A focus by our schools on the safety and wellbeing of children at the centre of every preventative and protective action they take.
- To ensure the protection of children in our schools against all forms of abuse.
- To provide quality education and good moral upbringing for children
- To protect the dignity of children within the school.
- To educate teachers and parents on the rights of children.
- To provide equal opportunity for all children in our schools, especially the girl child and differently able (physical challenge and the vulnerable).
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
“Let the children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” Mark (10:13-15)
Our approach focuses on making child protection an integral part of existing practices.
- We believe that all children have a right to be safe at all times and we have an obligation to provide child safe and child friendly environments and programs.
- All children have equal rights to protection from abuse and exploitation regardless of their gender, race, religious or political beliefs, age, physical or mental health, sexual orientation, family and social background and culture or economic status.
- All decisions regarding the welfare and protection of children are made based on the best interests of the child.
- Increase the benefits to children of the educational programs in the school.
- Protect staff members as a whole.