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Christian Values and Education In The Bahamas
Related to country: Bahamas

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You 'gotta' have faith:
By KARAN MINNIS, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter -
Nassau, Bahamas:



Darron and Crystal Philip-Pitt say they have always thought about the spiritual education of their four-year-old daughter, Danae, which is the reason why they sent her to a Christian-based pre/primary school.

"The core values of the school was a major factor in selecting a school for her," they said in selecting Remnant Academy, Carmichael Road. "We're Christians and we want her to have the same values, and this school uses the Bible in its teachings which we love," said Darron.

He said that the next school they choose for their daughter will also be Christian-based, but that Christianity will not be their only consideration in making their decision. They also want her to be in smaller classes, as they don't want her to get lost in a crowd. "Her next school will offer both Christian values and small classrooms."

The Bahamas is considered to be a nation founded on Christian principles, and the basic principles of Christianity are instilled into children from birth and many schools have been formed around its principles. But as a parent, have you ever wondered what makes a school "Christian", and whether the school's administration practices what it preaches.

"It's the philosophy of the school that really makes it a Christian school," says Church of God Academy principal, Joliath Burrows. "Therefore imbedded in its core philosophy should be the belief that ultimately all knowledge comes from God, and so any education should include the word of God which comes from the scriptures," he said.

"I know that schools in The Bahamas, with the guidance of The Bahamas Government, believe that schools should pass on Christian values to the students of this country," said Burrows, "but those of us in the private Christian school we believe that all knowledge comes form God and we believe that the teaching staff must set examples in passing on that knowledge, not in just teaching the academic curriculum but their lifestyles must reflect what we believe.

"Some people believe that just because a school is connected to a church it is Christian, and there is some truth to that, but I believe that you have to look deeper at a school and see what their core beliefs are, what their principles and what their philosophies are, because that will be what they teach."

Burrows says parents should ensure that philosophies are in practice as opposed to just theory, and said that at his school is located at Yamacraw and Joe Farrington Roads that they don't just talk Christianity, they practice it and display it in their every day lives. However, he says because Church of God Academy has only been in operation for five years, it's hard to say how effective their practices are, and that they are still monitoring their progress.

"We do try to have a major impact on these students, but as of now I cannot say how successful we are, because we are still a young institution. We would need to look over the long distance and then be able to look back to see if we have succeeded, but we do try. And we do this by requiring certain standards of conduct on the part of students and teachers," said Burrows.

He admitted that a lot of the students enrolled in the school do not profess Christianity, and as a result they experience some difficulties, but that they try to instill a code of conduct on their students, and demand that students live up to it.

"Our school is an evangelistic ministry of the church so the school tries to pass on the values of the church, but in the same way we do not force people to accept the church's beliefs. Instead, we expose them to the beliefs," he said.

Lydia McKenzie, principal of Bread of Life, a Baptist pre/primary school, Prince Charles Drive, maintains that the Bible should be a main source of education.

"At Bread of Life we feel that Christian values are very important. That's why we use the Bible in our lessons. It is our main source of guidance and of life, and because students spend most of their time in school, we believe that the school should involve Christian values in its teachings. That is what a Christian school does. It cannot be all about education, because these students will one day grow up and it will be the education and the values taught to them that help them through life," she said.

Ellen Daniels, principal at St Thomas More, a Catholic primary school, says that it is also important that parents see the value of the teachings.

"There are some parents that never put a thought behind the kind of education their child will get and I mean that in a spiritual sense. But it is important because even if a child does not become a Christian, those basic values will still be with them, says Daniels. "However, you do have parents that care very much and because of that they choose a school like St Thomas More because of what we teach and because of our religious beliefs. Even though we do not try to win students over to our faith [Catholicism], we do teach them a way of living that is acceptable."

Adding that the Catholic education system is just that — a Catholic-based curriculum, Daniels says that students from all walks of life gain from both the curriculum and the Christian environment. "Our beliefs, is based on the Catholic faith, therefore that impacts what religious beliefs we teach to the children, but in the same light we don't try to teach them the Catholic faith. Instead we just try to give them the values that will take them though life. Therefore, our curriculum is based around our religious aims and goals," she says.

"We try to teach our students a respectable way to live, and we have our mission statement which says that in the Catholic education, formation and learning is more than information and facts," Daniels says. "We believe that education involves a wide view or a way of seeing. It also involves a way of living, but most of all it involves the good news of the reign of God. These are just some of the things that we try to impart to our students.

"So when we conduct religious education we make it an integrated part of the daily school curriculum. In the end, when the students leave the Catholic school system they should have a strong psychological and academic understanding, a good knowledge of the scripture, both literally and interceptive and they should have a sound understanding of the Catholic faith.

"This is evident in the fact that students that I have taught are now bringing their children back to the Catholic school, especially to St. Thomas More. We would say that because they were taught well here, both spiritually and academically, they want the same for their children and that's the best thing for a Christian teacher to hear," she said.

August 31, 2008 | 9:36 AM Comments  0 comments

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