The sustainability of Marist projects in the District relies on people who lead and staff the work. Education and training for eighty Brothers is managed out of the resources of the Australian Marist Provinces. We also have a developing group of lay teachers who call themselves Marist (they are all ex-students of our schools and training centres in Melanesia). It is people from this group that we rely more for professional leadership and collaboration. We need to support them in their endeavours to upgrade professional standards.

At Vanga in the Solomon Islands three of the executive staff will begin studies for Diplomas in Educational Leadership, offered by the Divine Word University. Sharon Attard, will assist Philemon, Charlie and Phillip with this program.

At Mabiri on Bougainville, Benedict Tooming has led the Vocational Centre since 2003. It is probable that he will be called upon to take on the overall leadership of the Marist Education Project in the future. He has begun a Masters program offered by Divine Word in Educational Leadership.

Br John Tukana is presently teaching at Yangoru in the East Sepik. He will begin a Masters in Educational Leadership studies with the Australian Catholic University in 2007.

All these studies will be undertaken part-time and externally and successful completion will add a tremendous level of leadership capacity to Marist Projects.

 

University fees, transport and curriculum materials costs need to be provided for this program. In Australian Dollars we are looking at an average of $12,000 for the completion of each program.

 

These programs do not easily attract international funding so it is envisaged that Marist Solidarity Australia will contribute most of the costs. Australian teachers in Marist Schools might like to consider contributing along with the contributions made by their students via the Marist Solidarity Campaign.