Venezuelan Catholic official discusses nationalizing private schools

Published: 2007-10-08

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS) -- A Catholic education official said educators were working with government officials in Venezuela to reach an understanding following threats by President Hugo Chavez to expand government control over private education. "In our conversations they (government officials) have told us that they will respect our religion," said Maritza Giron, an official with the Venezuelan Catholic Education Association, the nation's largest private school organization. It serves 500,000 poor children. Giron told Catholic News Service Oct. 4 that she thought a government attempt to take over the Catholic education system would be impractical because of the large number of students the church serves. "We represent a solution for the state," she said. During Chavez's weekly call-in radio and television program in late September, he said the government would nationalize private schools that did not adopt a new school curriculum created by the government.

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