A BRIEF HISTORY
OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION
IN NATAL/KWAZULU-NATAL
The Early Days
THE NATAL VICARIATE
The Vicariate of Natal was established on October 5, 1850 and the founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Bishop Eugene de Mazenod was asked to head it. It was Bishop de Mazenod who appointed Bishop Allard as Vicar Apostolic of Natal.
The first group of OMI’s, including Allard and Frs. Sabon and Dunne arrived at Port Natal on 15 March 1852, and it was the Oblates who were largely responsible for ‘staffing’ the Vicariate of Natal until its division in October 1921.
Critical to the effectiveness of the Oblates and the mission of the Church in this vast area was the role to be played by the various religious Orders/Congregations that were asked by the respective Bishops to come into the Vicariate.
These were:
The Holy Family Sisters of Bordeaux
– Arrived in Natal in 1875
– Took over a parochial school in Pmb and called it St. Mary’s
– Opened Convent High in Pmb.
– 1885 set up St. Anthony’s for Indian children
– 1875 in Durban, the St. Joseph’s parish school
– Followed by Convent High School
– St. Agnes alongside the new St. Joseph’s
– St. Augustine’s for Coloured children in 1906
– Maris Stella in 1899
The Dominican Sisters of Oakford
– Came to Oakford in 1889
– Sacred Heart School
– St. Vincent de Paul Institute, Genazzano
– Our Lady of Natal
– St. Catherine’s, Empangeni
The Newcastle Dominican Sisters
– St. Dominic’s Academy, Newcastle
– Holy Rosary, Dundee
– St. Dominic’s-on-Sea, Port Shepstone
– St. Elmo’s
– St. Joachim’s, Umsinsini
– Our Lady of Fatima
The Augustinian Sisters
– Established homes for orphans: St. Philomena’s and St. Theresa’s
The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
– Emoyeni
– St. Anne’s Home for girls Attending Tholimfundo near Umzinto
In addition to the religious orders of Sisters, the Marist Brothers were also invited to provide schooling for boys:
– St. Charles (established by the Oblates in 1877; taken over by the Marist Brothers 1914-1978)
– St. Henry’s (1929)
Under Bishop Delalle, and particularly during the 1920’s and 1930’s, much evangelisation amongst the Black population took place, with a number of missions and mission schools being established throughout the province of Natal
THE VICARIATE OF MARIANNHILL
The Trappists under Abbott Franz Pfanner arrived in 1882 and established a mission at Mariannhill.
From here, he began to travel all over Southern Natal looking for suitable outstations.
His first outstation was established at Reichenau in 1886, and by 1909, when it was decreed that the monks of Mariannhill would be separated from the Trappists, there were 28 dependent stations of Mariannhill in Natal, Pondoland, Tembuland and the Transkei.
Heeding the spirit of Benedict XV’s encyclical Maximum Illud, published in 1919, which called on the bishops and religious superiors to recruit and train local vocations, the Mariannhill missionaries under Bishop Fleischer were to found local Congregations of Sisters
One of the central reasons for the success of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill and the Precious Blood Sisters in their evangelisation efforts, was the use of mission schools and the stressing of the Catholic character of these schools.
In October 1921, it was announced from Rome that Mariannhill was to be established as a separate vicariate, independent of Natal.
THE VICARIATE OF ESHOWE
In 1923, the Vicariate of Eshowe was established and the German Benedictines of St. Ottilien took over the Zululand prefecture.
The first Catholic presence in Zululand was at Emoyeni (1895), the OMI’s using it as their base from which to evangelise the Zulus. The mission and school were handed over to the Benedictine’s when they we given missionary responsibility in the area (1924).
Based at the Abbey at Inkamana, where their school was established in 1923, the Benedictines (OSB’s) established missions throughout Northern Natal and Zululand.
MISSION SCHOOLS, POST 1948
The Bantu Education Act of 1953 removed control of black education from the provinces and placed it in the hands of the Department of Native Affairs. The Act gave the Minister control of every aspect of schools from fee structure to curriculum.
With the reduction (and, in some cases removal) of the state subsidies, the Church had to make a decision: withdraw from the educational sphere and hand over the schools to the government, or try to continue running the 940 schools without government support.
Despite valiant efforts to raise funds and keep the schools running, the 1960’s and 1970’s saw many schools handed over to the government. Salaries were paid by the government which was also responsible (in theory) for the maintenance. The principal was a state employee. The retention of the Catholic character of the school was dependent on the teachers and the community.
In effect, these former Mission schools were to become ‘Public schools on private property’. At present, there are 92 such schools in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Where we are today
The Catholic Institute of Education opened a regional office in the region in KZN in January 1995 with Br. Brendan FMS (Jeremiah O’Shea) in charge. Br Brendan’s first task was to discover the number of Catholic schools that existed in the Province. He came across 110 Catholic Schools that were started by seven Bishops and several Religious Congregations.
1995 was a time when the SACBC was concerned about the future of Catholic schools in South Africa. There were at that point in time some 372 Catholic Schools in the country, making the Catholic Church the largest provider of Education outside the State system. A draft memorandum for lobbying purposes was drawn up and signed by Archbishop Wilfrid Napier OFM and one or two other Bishops.
After the positive attitude experienced by the Catholic Education Negotiation Teams both at National and Provincial levels, the first draft of the South Africans Schools Bill was of concern to those involved in Catholic education. Paragraph 40(1) of that document stated in a very summary and peremptory manner that “any school other than a private school which existed immediately prior to the date of this Act, shall be deemed as a public school” The Catholic Education Negotiating Teams (CENT), both National and Regional, were not happy and continued with their submissions and active engagement with the State in seeking a meaningful partnership.
A significant step in the fight for Catholic education was the statement made by the then national Minister, Prof. S. Bhengu, in June 1996, when he assured the negotiating team of the high regard in which our Catholic Schools are held. He pointed out that he and many in Government were products of Catholic Schools and valued, not only the high standard of education present in our schools, but also the values which we impart. Prof. Bhengu then confirmed said that there would be an enabling clause which would allow, through negotiation at a Provincial Level, for the preservation of the fundamental issues that keep our schools Catholic.
Members of the Catholic Schools Board, we owe a sense of profound gratitude to Cardinal Napier, Bishop Brenninkmeijer, Br Jude Pieterse, Sr Biddy Rose, Br Brendan, Yvonne Eldon, amongst others, for their sterling efforts and ongoing submissions and engagement that resulted in the special provisions made in the SA Schools’ Act for Catholic Schools in general and especially for Public Schools on Private Property.
Through the skilful yet friendly and challenging negotiations of Cardinal Napier and Br Brendan we have a cordial working relationship and partnership with the KZN Department of Education and the existence of the Deed of Agreement for PSPP. When the CIE closed its regional office in KZN it was Cardinal Napier and Br Brendan who initiated the formation of the Catholic Schools Board in 2003, enlisting the support of the Owners of Catholic schools in the Province, i.e. the seven Bishop and several Religious Congregations.
To give effect to the legislation, the owners of Catholic Schools on Private Property were to conclude agreements with the MEC.
In a historic event in 2000, the ‘Deed of Agreement’ was signed at Oakford, and Cardinal Napier took the opportunity to announce, “that we would reclaim the Distinctive Character and Ethos of our Schools”.
The challenge to the stakeholders in Catholic education in the province was laid down.
Every effort needed to be made to ensure that our schools were regarded as ‘Real Centres of Care’, and that they were to be supported by the CSO.
The CSO was to focus on, inter-alia, Pastoral Care, Religious and Values Education, Leadership Training as well pursuing ongoing negotiations with the Department on behalf of the schools.
‘SURVIVING’ CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN PIETERMARITZURG AND DURBAN
SCHOOL
Holy Family College
St. Anthony’s
Maris Stella
St. Augustine’s
St. Francis College
Inkamana Secondary
St. Theresa’s
St. Henry’s
Our Lady of Fatima
St. Catherine’s
St. Benedict
Nardini Convent School
Our Lady of Natal
RELIGIOUS ORDER
Holy Family Sisters
Holy Family Sisters
Holy Family Sisters
Holy Family Sisters
Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood
Benedictines
Augustinian Sisters
Marist Brothers
Newcastle Dominicans
Oakford Dominicans
Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood
Nardini Sisters
Oakford Dominicans
DATE
1875
1885 (but with earlier roots)
1899
1906
1909
1923
1925
1929
1954
1955
1956
1957
1964