Education is a Permanent Inheritance

A few words of fr. custos Krzysztof Cieślikiewicz
about the educational projects, held
by Franciscans in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The scope of the Franciscan Education Centre is to give proper education and formation that adds value to the life of the pupils who want to learn but do not always have available resources or place to do so. Moreover, St. Maximilian Education Centre is to provide for­mation that is holistic, deeply rooted in good human and Christian values.

Those who are to benefit are children from three years age through a kindergarten (2 years), primary (7 years) followed by secondary school (6 years) and high education (2-4 years) and at the same time we want to give opportunity also to those who are not able to proceed with secondary education or high education and want to get proper and adequate vocational training (2 years), in this way to help them to prepare themselves for the future life and work. It could be good that our center would help these young people in this shift from voca­tional training school to their own activities with the microfinance project.

Nursery

At present first part of St. Maximilian Education Centre that is the Primary School building and dining hall are ready and in function. By January 2013, 550 pupils already have got an education in standards 1 to 6. We are grateful to our benefactors for helping us to accom­plish the first part of the our Centre. July 2011 we have preceded with the second part of St. Maximilian Education Centre mainly construction of Secondary school.

In Tanzania Secondary school consists of 2 levels “O” level Form 1-4 and “A” level Form 5-6. With the help of bene­factors and our own contributions we were able to construct 12 class­rooms, 3 labo­ratories and teachers’ and administration offices. At present we are at the stage of the works of finishing and equipping the school that by September 2013 we will be able to accept first 90 students. Big challenge are still dormitories, playing grounds and edu­cational materials and aids as well as personnel (teachers).

Building

Next stage of the development of St. Maximilian Education Centre is the construction of the Nursery School. There is a big demand from the society to provide good care and first education to small children from age 3. We are looking forward to construct a Nursery school which could accommodated at least 120 children in baby, middle and top class. We turn to the people of good will and open hearts to help us to initiate this facility in the St. Maxi­milian Edu­cation Centre. It is always a gift of heart to those little ones.

We are grateful and pray for our benefactors who accompany in making our dream true by constructing center of quality education and formation in Tanzania. Let St. Maximilian inter­cede for us to discover and understand that only love creates and let us give our maximum to serve and form others.

18 January 2013, Dar es Salaam,
fr. Krzysztof Cieslikiewicz -
Provincial Custos and Director of the Centre

Any volunteers please contact fr. Krzysztof  via e-mail