Worldwide enrollment in Seventh-day Adventist educational institutions grew by 11.4 percent last year, reports Humberto Rasi, education director for the Adventist Church.

Rasi says he thanks God that many families in 145 countries “recognize the high importance and value of an Adventist education.”

All educational statistics will be included in the soon-to-be-released 2002 issue of World Report: Adventist Education Around the World, produced annually by the church’s department of education.

Rasi says one notable statistic is the significant increase in secondary school enrollments—up by some 56,000 students.

More than half of these new students come from homes that profess other faiths, he says. “This gives an opportunity for Adventist teachers and students to share their biblical convictions with the homes these students represent.”

The total number of faculty, administration and staff grew by 5.2 percent. The number of educational institutions operated by the Adventist Church grew by 4.8 percent last year, from 6,064 in 2000 to 6,335 in 2001. There are nearly 1.2 million students attending Adventist educational institutions worldwide.