"Please Involve Us When You Are Making Policies" - Catholic Education Secretaries Conclude Workshop as Charging Officers

PORT MORESBY, 3 September 2026 - The three-day Annual Workshop for Catholic Education Secretaries concluded today at the Catholic Bishops Conference Centre, Waigani, with a Mass of thanksgiving and a strong appeal from the Church to be included in national education policy formulation.

Held from 31 August to 3 September in partnership with the National Catholic Education Commission, the Teaching Service Commission [TSC], Caritas PNG and BCEP, the workshop formally trained and inducted Education Secretaries from all dioceses across PNG as Charging Officers within the National Education System.

The workshop mandated Catholic Education Secretaries around the country to investigate allegations of teacher misconduct, lay formal charges under the Teaching Service Act, and ensure due process, natural justice, and pastoral integrity.

From left to right: Fr. Lawrence Arockiaraj General Secretary CBC PNGSI, Mr. Vincent Sobo, National Deputy Secretary for NCE, Bishop Pedro Baquero, Bishop Deputy for the NCE, Mr. Maini Mike Ugaia, TSC Chairman, Bishop Paul Sundu, Assistant Bishop Deputy NCE, Mr. Gilbert Ousek, Principle Legal Adviser and Mrs. Jean Taviri Director Southern Region-TSC

What the Workshop Established

From Fr. Lawrence Arockiaraj: The role is a judicial and moral safeguarding mechanism, not just administration. Quoting Micah 6:8 - "act justly, love mercy and walk humbly" - he stressed discipline must protect students and teachers without bias or malice.

From TSC Chairman Mr. Maini Mike Ugaia: With over 74,000 teachers, TSC manages PNG's largest workforce. He reminded Secretaries that charging is a delegated function that must be reported back, must follow procedure strictly or risk collapse in court, and is territorial - a Secretary can only exercise power within his own province.

From Bishop Paul Sundu: Describing the delegation as "another fruit" of the Church-State partnership since 1970, he said justice must be tempered with compassion. "Justice without compassion can become harsh, while compassion without justice can undermine accountability."

Mr. Vincent Sobo, National Deputy Secretary for NCE and Mr. Maini Mike Ugaia, TSC Chairman

Closing Remarks Emphasis: Bishop Pedro Baquero SDB

In his closing remarks, Bishop Pedro Baquero, Bishop Deputy for the National Catholic Education Commission, thanked the TSC Chairman for being present and having "feet on the ground" and left the Secretaries with a prophetic charge:

"Do not forget the other side of your work. Your work is not just a job. It is a mission."

"Do not give up despite all the hurdles. Just move on, move on, move on. That is our prophetic message. Prophets simply speak out what has to be said. They may not be accepted, may be rejected, but they have said what they have to say. We will never know when will be the harvest time of what we have planted right now."

Bishop Pedro added that by charging those who misbehave, Secretaries also affirm the majority of teachers who do well. "Your presence and listening to them means a lot."

He then made a direct appeal to the TSC:

"One request to Chairman and TSC: Please involve us when you are making policies. Involve the Catholic agency especially when you are talking about Reset. You know how much experience we carry that would enrich whatever document or policy you will have."

He closed with a final blessing, praying that teachers and students may grow deep in faith for the good of the dioceses and the country.

Sharing at Mass: Go Into The Deep

Today, Thursday 3 September - Memorial of St. Gregory the Great - Mass was celebrated by Bishop Pedro Baquero giving thanks for the successful workshop.

Bishop Pedro Baquero, Bishop Deputy for the National Catholic Education Commission

In his homily reflecting on Luke 5:1-11, the miraculous catch of fish, and echoing Pope Leo XIV's message on Care for Creation, Bishop Pedro linked PNG's mountains and seas to experiencing God's power - both in threats and calmness.

"Peter thought he was the expert fisherman and looked at Jesus only as a carpenter who knew nothing about fishing. But Jesus went into the boat of Peter and changed his mind and changed the situation," he said.

"Jesus comes into our lives as teachers not always to make us comfortable. He comes to challenge us to go into the deep, to abandon ourselves and to just follow."

He concluded with a mandate for the newly inducted Charging Officers:

"We are charged from now on to step out of our comfort zone and prepare ourselves, for we are supposed to catch many as teachers, to bring many as teachers to God. Just as Jesus told Peter, 'From now on you will be catching men,' so too our mission as Catholic educators is not just to teach subjects, but to catch souls and bring them to Christ."

St. Gregory the Great, pray for us.