Report Card
Challenges
During the 2015-2020 quinquennium, Adventist education in the EUD has achieved significant progress in both concept and image even if quantifiable results are still a work in progress. The relatively small number of members (that is the second-smallest Adventist population of any division) diminishes the ability of the church to mobilize dramatically and create a rapid impact; the impressive cultural diversity prevents the church from addressing people using a unitary message; the generally negative birth rate steadily decreases the school-age population that could be enrolled in our schools; free or state-subsidized education seems much more attractive to many, taking into account the cost of private church education; the relatively small number of study programs (both at secondary and tertiary level) makes our schools less attractive than others; the better remuneration offered by the state or other private educational institutions prevents us from increasing the number of qualified Adventist teachers; and, last but not least, convincing church members, pastors, and parents that Adventist educational institutions have high academic standards is a battle that we fight on a daily basis.
Progress
Despite these obvious and seemingly insurmountable barriers, EUD schools continue to develop conceptually, train holistically, grow numerically, and have a significant impact on the general population. For example, the overwhelming majority of our primary and secondary schools have the main part of their students coming from different religious traditions (other than Seventh-day Adventists); have either reached their maximum admission capacity or have significantly increased their enrollment; have long waiting lists; and have fulfilled the legal requirements for receiving state accreditation.