Who We Are
The Education Office of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus was created by the Superior General and Council to ensure that our religious traditions and values are maintained through supervision of all school activities especially curriculum, staffing, discipline, standard facilities, and quality of service; thereby leading to the attainment of our desired goal and objectives for which these schools were established.
Brief History
The Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus is a religious Congregation, whose Foundress, Mother Mary Charles Magdalen, Walker, RSC, was a disciplined and seasoned educationist inter alia other careers. Therefore, education is the main apostolate of our Congregation. Article 64 of our constitutions states “we establish standard educational institutes that meet the demands of our times”.
The aim of establishing an office for coordinating and supervising our educational institutions is to give quality and standard to our educational institutions that is classic and meets the demands of our modern times.
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria, (CBCN) reiterates that history has shown that the church began very early to invest heavily and fruitfully in quality education in Nigeria. She established schools which were and are still known for their good academic and moral standards and their non-discriminatory policies. In line with the foregoing, the schools established and managed by the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus has over the years inculcated values into the beneficiaries of our educational institutions especially the young. Foundation is important as it enables the young ones to take responsibility especially for the future. Pope Francis asserts “…True education enables us to love life and opens to the fullness of life”. The establishment of an office to coordinate educational activities within the Congregation is to maintain the high standard set for our institutions from their inception, a legacy we got from our Foundress.
“I congratulate you and the girls of St Joseph’s School, [Anua] on the success you have achieved in being classified as A+ … It is the first in the history of the mission that a Girls’ School has honourable carried off the much converted honour of being officially classified as EXCELLENT” (Bishop Joseph Shanahan, CSSp to Mother Mary Charles Magdalen Walker, 9th November 1927).
Mission
Handmaids schools, grounded in our motto “LOVE AND SERVICE” provide pupils/students opportunities for authentic holistic Christian growth in a life illumined by the gospel message and total love and service to God and humanity.
Vision
To train God-fearing people, who will through their lives, contribute towards a just and responsible society.
Objectives
Our Foundress has this to say concerning our objectives “The first great need in our schools, especially for girls, is to train them in self-control, cleanliness, self-respect, earnestness and reliability”. This is our main focus.
Our Congregation’s objectives, which is in line with the Catholic Policies on Education include the following:
- Inculcation of high moral and spiritual values in the pupils/students and staff of our schools.
- Acquisition of academic excellence
- Maintenance of discipline and devotion to duty in our staff, students and pupils.
- Eradication of social vices.
- Empowerment of the pupils/students to be self-actualized in their choice of profession.
- To prepare the school leavers for higher level education and provide the basis for future training in manpower development.
Our Focus
Values, Discipline, Academics and Excellence
Our Core Values
Quality management
All Handmaids’ schools shall consistently improve its quality management system with the aim of attaining excellence in quality and practice and taking into consideration the evolving signs of the time and environment.
Our Impact
The Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus have been one of the piloting Congregations in Africa especially, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Togo, Sierra Leone, Cameroon to give quality education to all at various stages of education. Our Congregation also serves in educational facilities in the United States of America, Europe, Canada and Grenada.
HHCJ TEACHERS
HHCJ teachers are known by their
- Commitment
- Compliance to the set norms/policies/standards
- Selflessness.
- Discipline
- Quality of service
- Maintenance of good relationship with the pupil/student