Schools Must Be Drug-Free, Teachers Must Uphold Moral Values: His Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos

Thiruvananthapuram – Schools must remain free from the menace of drugs, and teachers should be committed to nurturing a morally upright generation, said His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

His Beatitude was inaugurating the annual conference of the Kerala Catholic Teachers’ Guild (KCTG) of the Major Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, which also included a farewell ceremony for retiring teachers. Addressing the gathering, His Beatitude emphasised that the classroom must be a place of virtue and formation, where children are guided towards a life of faith and righteousness.

The event was presided over by Roy N. G., President of the KCTG, Thiruvananthapuram Major Archdiocese. Among the distinguished speakers were Very Rev. Msgr. Varkey Attupurath Corepiscopo, Vicar General of the Major Archdiocese and Correspondent of Schools, Fr. Nelson Valiyaveettil, Principal of St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom, Fr. Jose Charuvil, Principal of St. John’s Model Higher Secondary School, Nalanchira, Johnny C. A., Vice President of the KCTG, Biju P. M., Secretary, and Biju K. George, Treasurer.

Also present were Rani M. Alex, Vice Principal of St. Mary’s School, Pattom, and C. Madlin Mathew, a teacher at St. Goretti’s School, Nalanchira. The gathering honoured winners of teacher literary competitions and Joseph Roy, recipient of the KCBC Teacher Award.

The conference reaffirmed the commitment of Catholic educators to upholding faith-based education, ensuring that schools remain centres of learning, moral formation, and social responsibility.