Knowing the social foundations of education is crucial in a community as diverse as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The way we structure our school environment and manage students and teachers reflects our views and concepts. The MENA-OIEC General Secretariat is currently headed by Father Boutros Azar. The MENA-OIEC General Secretariat believes that schools should help remake communities because education is a value-based activity, engaging individuals in experiencing or changing what is valued in societies. Education is the means to both perpetuate and civilise societies, so educators have an enormous responsibility to reflect and then determine, with the help of others in society, what content and activities enhance individual, personal and social growth and lead to the improvement of society.

Addressing the controversial issues that abound in our societies can be satisfied by a unified training across the MENA region. No matter what cultural differences people may have, a common profile must unite MENA learners.

Political controversies, religious differences, misinterpretation of rules, violation of human rights and especially women’s rights, are all issues that need to be addressed in a civilised manner through extensive preventive measures in education. Schools should help MENA communities to produce well-shaped individuals who respect civil rights and cultural differences so that we can have a better future.

Action:

Advocate freedom of education and the right of every child to have excess to education (“education for all” programme in implementation with UNESCO).
To set up the annual regional X-ray of the Catholic schools.
To propose annual projects to help deepen the relationships between the national secretariats and/or school levels.
Implement the basics of the major projects.
Continue the creation of the regional secretariat website (under construction).
To record the statutes and procedures of the Regional Secretariat Administrative Functions.