First Church girls' secondary school opened

Bishop Nikol Cauchi recently inaugurated the first church girls' secondary school in Gozo. The school forms part of the Bishop's Conservatory complex in Victoria.

The inauguration started with a concelebrated Mass led by the Bishop, during which he emphasised the importance of a complete education - not the mere teaching of mathematics, science and languages, but also an overall formation of the student. This should be attained with the help of the teachers working hand-in-hand with the parents. Children can therefore acquire the necessary knowledge and education for character formation and to help them make the right decisions.

At the end of the ceremony, Bishop Cauchi thanked all those who helped in the opening of the new school, and blessed a commemorative plaque.

The school, whose headmaster is Mgr Carmelo Gauci, caters for 260 primary and secondary students. Forms 1 and 2, which have started last September, have been named after St Jeanne Antida Thouret, founder of the Sisters of Charity, and St Maria Goretti, respectively.

Although the Bishop's Conservatory was built in 1789, it was not till 1988 that the Ministry of Education issued the first licence for a private school. In 1995 the Ministry issued a licence for pre-primary and primary classes, while the licence for the secondary school was issued last year.