By Philip Tegzu, GNA
Jirapa (UW/R), Oct. 19, GNA – Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Senior Presidential Advisor and Special Aide to President John Mahama, has paid tribute to the St. Francis of Assisi Girls’ Senior High School in Jirapa for its 67 years of nurturing generations of women whose contributions continue to shape society and national development.
She said the school’s legacy extends beyond its physical infrastructure, academic achievements and student population to the character, discipline, values and quality of women it has produced over the years.
Mrs Mogtari, an old student of the St. Francis of Assisi Girls’ SHS, said this in Jirapa at the weekend during the Franciscans Old Girls Association (FOGA) Homecoming and Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the school.
Old students, students, staff and management of the school and other stakeholders attended the event to celebrate the institution’s achievements, among other things.
The celebration was facilitated by FOGA, under the theme: “Sixty-Seven Years of Nurturing Leaders and Inspiring Excellence: Time to Retrace Our Steps.”
“Sixty-seven years is no small achievement. It represents generations of young women who have passed through these classrooms, received an education, developed their talents and gone on to make meaningful contributions to their families and communities in our country”, Mrs Mogtari explained.
She said the diversity of achievements by the past students of the school demonstrated the far-reaching impact of girls’ education on national and community development.
She said the lessons she acquired at St. Francis of Assisi about three decades ago continued to influence her professional and private life.
“Who would have imagined all those years ago that one day I, Joyce Bawah, would return here as a very senior lawyer with expertise in maritime law, founder of a law firm, an entrepreneur and senior presidential advisor and special aide to the President of the Republic of Ghana”, Mrs Mogtari indicated.
She urged the students to take their studies seriously and appreciate the significance of everyday school experiences, as such experiences could have lasting effects on their character, choices and future achievements.
Mrs Mogtari also challenged the students to understand and live by the principles of the school’s motto, Ad Veritatem Per Caritatem, to wit “To Truth through Charity.”
She said the motto carried an enduring message that education should be guided by compassion and that truth should be accompanied by love.
Reverend Father Dr. Eugene Suom-Dery, who represented the Catholic Bishop Wa, praised the school for its contribution to women’s education and national development.
He said the achievement of the old students demonstrated how education could help women overcome barriers that historically limited their participation in development.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Suom-Dery encouraged the students to emulate the discipline, diligence, perseverance and commitment of the alumni, since success was not determined solely by academic awards.
Naa Dinaa Donglabong Ganaa III, Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, called on stakeholders to invest in the school to help sustain its legacy of academic excellence and strengthen its contribution to national development.
He paid tribute to the traditional leaders and other pioneers contributed to the establishment of the school, as their investment continued to benefit families, communities and the country.
Naa Ganaa III also commended the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), the Catholic Church, school management and staff, parents and alumni for their contributions to the
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Reporter’s email: [email protected]