" All for the Greater Glory of God" [ watch video]
Honorable Guest of Honour, Your Grace, Martin Kivuva Musonde, Archbishop of Mombasa, Father Lagho, Vicar General Mombasa, Sister Jane Francis, Province Leader of Loreto Sisters Eastern African Province, Sister Maria Thimba, Loreto Education Secretary, Rtd. Major Moses Waweru, Chairman of the School Advisory Board, Members of the P.T.A Board, Distinguished Invited Guests, teachers, Staff and Pupils of Loreto Convent Mombasa School, Ladies and Gentlemen. It gives me a lot of pleasure to warmly welcome you this afternoon to our 80th Anniversary celebrations and also our school prize giving day.
Ladies and Gentlemen, our 80th anniversary celebration today is a very colourful occasion where we have all converged to celebrate the success of Loreto Convent Mombasa and Loreto associates who have made it all possible for us to be here today. We also know the major role the Church have played in the making and developing our school to what it is today. And therefore it was only appropriate to start our celebrations today with a thanks giving HOLY mass presided over by non-other than our Archbishop of Mombasa. Your Grace, we are extremely happy and very proud indeed for your presence here as our guest of honour. We also thank you for your continued support of our institution.
Ladies and Gentlemen, part of our celebrations today is our annual prize giving day. I wish to congratulate all the student/pupils receiving various academic & extra-curricular awards. We must strive to maintain this spirit of excellence in our school. I also take this early opportunity to wish our Class 8 success in the 2016 KCPE examinations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we all know that Loreto Mombasa has had a long but very successful journey over the years. Even as we celebrate today, we must not take these 80 years of success for granted. We must continue propagating the essence of good virtues that has been our foundation for stability, growth and progress. We must take it upon ourselves to face the emerging challenges in society and to keep the Loreto mast flying high, not for our own selfish gratification but for the sake of our future generations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, even as we celebrate the success of this institution today, a dark cloud hangs over the education sector in this country. As parents, and as the number one stakeholders and consumers of this service, it is of great concern to us that the educational systems in the country is under serious siege and threat. Massive cheating in exams, students killing fellow students and of late students burning school infrastructure which was painstakingly build by the sweat of parents. What are we not doing right and what have caused so much upheaval in the education sector?
Ladies and Gentlemen, I will not pretend that I have any answers for these challenges but what I really know and acknowledge from my practical experience in this Institution is the significant roles that the parents, school management, the teachers and support staff have played in the educational development of our children and of this Institution at large. We must continue doing good guided by this great Loreto spirit which have been tried, tested and been proved in Loreto Mombasa over the last 80 years. We must continue walking in this path of Integrity, justice and service to mankind as espoused by Venerable Mary Ward. It is the only way that will negate this dark cloud towering in our country’s education sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Kindly allow me to recognize and appreciate the significant contributions made by the previous PTA executive committees whose members sacrificed time and personal resources to bring this School to where it is today. We salute the following humble but very great gentlemen who served diligently as the Chairmen of the PTA in the last two decades:
· Mr. Charles Karigithu- served for several years up to 1996
- Eng. Kris Kirubi : 1996 -2002
- Mr. Solomon Mutungi :2003-2005
- Mr. Samuel Ouma : 2006-2007
- Mr. Brown Ondego: 2008-2009
- Mr. Joseph Koskey: 2010-
- Justice Alfred Mabeya 2011-
During the tenure of these gentlemen and a few others who came before them, the school registered phenomenal development. The school hall, swimming pool, new classes for 8-4-4, the school buses, the dream, vision and acquisition of land for our Loreto Secondary school and the PTA Constitution were all realized. The current PTA Committee is also strong, dedicated and will certainly strive to emulate our heroes and make this place a better place than we found it.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I take this opportunity to thank all the parents/staff/pupils for support during the sad demise and funeral of our late teacher, Vincent Onyango. I have never seen this kind of outpouring love for a long, long time. This exemplified the true spirit of the parents of this school that has seen as through from one generation to another.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Last but not the least, it is our prayer that God will continue to bless the Loreto Sisters who have given their life to the service of mankind and to revered service to God. To the Irish Loreto Sisters who laid the foundation of this school, to Sister Jane Francis, Sister Maria Thimba, Sister Gertrude Mallya and to all the Sisters in this order who are scattered in all the four corners of the world, we sincerely thank you for being there for us and for being there for our children. For all the alumni who benefitted from Loreto institutions I urge you to come forth, join hands and continue giving support to LORETO. It is said that for whom much is given much, much more will be expected from them.
THANK YOU. LONG LIVE LORETO.
David T. Arika
CHAIRMAN -PTA
Long Live Loreto Convent School.
David T. Arika - PTA CHAIRMAN.
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