A Discussion with Léon Sene, President of the National Union of Associations of Parents of Pupils of Catholic Education of Senegal, Dakar, Senegal
With: Léon Sene Berkley Center Profile
July 15, 2015
Background: As
part of the Education and Social Justice Project, undergraduate student
Sabrina Khan interviewed Léon Sene, who serves as the president of the National
Union of Associations of Parents of Pupils of Catholic Education of Senegal (L’union
nationale des associations des parents d’élèves de l’enseignement catholique du
Sénégal, UNAPECS). In this interview, conducted in July 2015, Sene discusses
the association and the challenges it faces.
Can you introduce
yourself and your work?
I am Léon Sene, and I am the president of the National Union of Associations of Parents of Pupils of Catholic Education of Senegal. In each Catholic school, there is an association of parents of students called APEC, of which all parents or legal guardians can be members. The APECs of a diocese are gathered under the Diocesan Union of Associations of Parents of Pupils of Catholic Education (UDAPEC). There are seven UDAPECs for the seven dioceses of Senegal. The UDAPECs are gathered under UNAPECS, which is the national entity. Each organization is directed by a bureau elected by a general assembly for three-year terms. The role of parents at each level is to support school projects to improve the conditions of education. Authorities of Catholic education are members of the law in different offices. The school’s director is a member of the APEC office; the diocesan director is a member of UDAPEC; the national secretary (Brother Thior) of ONECS [National Office of Catholic Teaching in Senegal] is a member of UNAPECS. Their presence in these offices allows parents to have the right information and consolidates collaboration between parents and authorities in Catholic teaching.
Does UNAPECS receive funding from the state?
No, it does not receive any state subsidies. Our association gets its means through dues from parents. The funds received from parents who are members of APECs form the funding for the UDAPECs, which forms the funding for UNAPECS.
What are the daily responsibilities as president of UNAPECS?
As president, I represent the civic and moral standing of the union. My daily responsibilities include ensuring the proper functioning of the union, representing the parents of Catholic education in meetings with the ministries responsible for education and training, and providing all relevant information that aids the proper functioning of UDAPECs and APECs.
What do you like the most about your work?
What I like the most in my work is serving others, listening to all those who work in Catholic teaching, and maintaining our commitment to excellence in serving Senegalese youth or the vulnerable.
What are you most proud of in your work?
I am proud of the education and the development we promote in our schools. I am also proud of the brilliant results obtained on exams and competitions by students of Catholic schools.
What is the greatest challenge to Catholic education in your opinion?
The greatest challenge that the church and the different actors within Catholic education must face is participating in the education and development of Senegalese citizens in a partnership with the state. Catholic teaching must emphasize the education of universal and evangelic values such as peace, solidarity, justice, living together, and faith in God. You could say that Senegal is a country of believers, but we cannot deny the effect of the media, especially television, which proposes counter-values, which risk erasing any effort made by education.
According to your experience and observation, can you describe the interreligious dynamics in Senegalese Catholic schools?
Thank God, Senegal is not confronted with interreligious conflicts. Our establishments recruit students regardless of race or religion. Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. Christians and Muslims, who are the majority, live together well and share the same events, happy or sad. Of course, Senegal is not totally sheltered from Islamic currents that would like to impose a certain behavior, like wearing the veil. Students in our schools must wear a school uniform, which does not allow the veil inside the school. We experience the interreligious dynamic by living together and by being aware of the fact that we all belong to the same human race. That is what gives Senegal a calm and convivial religious environment.
What values do Catholic schools try to instill in students?
The values Catholic schools try to instill in students are universal and evangelic values, such as love of another that is expressed through solidarity, sharing, and worrying about one another; work that is done well; respect for nature; tolerance; and any other value that relates to preserving human dignity. For example, students make campaigns to collect donations to aid the sick, prisoners, and anyone who has need. Some urban schools are twinned with schools in rural areas, where students from the city schools provide their sister school with supplies and stock the cafeteria.
Is there something else you would like to add that we have not discussed?
What I would like to add is that beyond Senegalese Catholic schools, I appeal to Catholic schools in countries that have more resources to ask them to support our rural schools. To you and all students in Catholic schools in developed countries, I ask you to convey this call and take part in this chain of solidarity. I want you to come back to Senegal after your studies with a project to support Catholic schools in rural areas.
Senegal's Catholic education needs to be supported, not only to maintain its schools in rural areas, but also to install them in suburbs where the need for education and training is greatest. Catholic teaching is almost absent in the suburbs because of lack of resources. Islamic schools, which receive external aid from international Arab supporters, are able to recruit children who cannot afford tuition. So, I make the call for Catholic education in service of the most poor.
I am Léon Sene, and I am the president of the National Union of Associations of Parents of Pupils of Catholic Education of Senegal. In each Catholic school, there is an association of parents of students called APEC, of which all parents or legal guardians can be members. The APECs of a diocese are gathered under the Diocesan Union of Associations of Parents of Pupils of Catholic Education (UDAPEC). There are seven UDAPECs for the seven dioceses of Senegal. The UDAPECs are gathered under UNAPECS, which is the national entity. Each organization is directed by a bureau elected by a general assembly for three-year terms. The role of parents at each level is to support school projects to improve the conditions of education. Authorities of Catholic education are members of the law in different offices. The school’s director is a member of the APEC office; the diocesan director is a member of UDAPEC; the national secretary (Brother Thior) of ONECS [National Office of Catholic Teaching in Senegal] is a member of UNAPECS. Their presence in these offices allows parents to have the right information and consolidates collaboration between parents and authorities in Catholic teaching.
Does UNAPECS receive funding from the state?
No, it does not receive any state subsidies. Our association gets its means through dues from parents. The funds received from parents who are members of APECs form the funding for the UDAPECs, which forms the funding for UNAPECS.
What are the daily responsibilities as president of UNAPECS?
As president, I represent the civic and moral standing of the union. My daily responsibilities include ensuring the proper functioning of the union, representing the parents of Catholic education in meetings with the ministries responsible for education and training, and providing all relevant information that aids the proper functioning of UDAPECs and APECs.
What do you like the most about your work?
What I like the most in my work is serving others, listening to all those who work in Catholic teaching, and maintaining our commitment to excellence in serving Senegalese youth or the vulnerable.
What are you most proud of in your work?
I am proud of the education and the development we promote in our schools. I am also proud of the brilliant results obtained on exams and competitions by students of Catholic schools.
What is the greatest challenge to Catholic education in your opinion?
The greatest challenge that the church and the different actors within Catholic education must face is participating in the education and development of Senegalese citizens in a partnership with the state. Catholic teaching must emphasize the education of universal and evangelic values such as peace, solidarity, justice, living together, and faith in God. You could say that Senegal is a country of believers, but we cannot deny the effect of the media, especially television, which proposes counter-values, which risk erasing any effort made by education.
According to your experience and observation, can you describe the interreligious dynamics in Senegalese Catholic schools?
Thank God, Senegal is not confronted with interreligious conflicts. Our establishments recruit students regardless of race or religion. Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. Christians and Muslims, who are the majority, live together well and share the same events, happy or sad. Of course, Senegal is not totally sheltered from Islamic currents that would like to impose a certain behavior, like wearing the veil. Students in our schools must wear a school uniform, which does not allow the veil inside the school. We experience the interreligious dynamic by living together and by being aware of the fact that we all belong to the same human race. That is what gives Senegal a calm and convivial religious environment.
What values do Catholic schools try to instill in students?
The values Catholic schools try to instill in students are universal and evangelic values, such as love of another that is expressed through solidarity, sharing, and worrying about one another; work that is done well; respect for nature; tolerance; and any other value that relates to preserving human dignity. For example, students make campaigns to collect donations to aid the sick, prisoners, and anyone who has need. Some urban schools are twinned with schools in rural areas, where students from the city schools provide their sister school with supplies and stock the cafeteria.
Is there something else you would like to add that we have not discussed?
What I would like to add is that beyond Senegalese Catholic schools, I appeal to Catholic schools in countries that have more resources to ask them to support our rural schools. To you and all students in Catholic schools in developed countries, I ask you to convey this call and take part in this chain of solidarity. I want you to come back to Senegal after your studies with a project to support Catholic schools in rural areas.
Senegal's Catholic education needs to be supported, not only to maintain its schools in rural areas, but also to install them in suburbs where the need for education and training is greatest. Catholic teaching is almost absent in the suburbs because of lack of resources. Islamic schools, which receive external aid from international Arab supporters, are able to recruit children who cannot afford tuition. So, I make the call for Catholic education in service of the most poor.
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