ST. MARIA GORETTI N/P SCHOOL RUSHOROZA THANKS GOD FOR THE SUCCESSFUL P.7 RESULTS OF 2023.

St. Maria Goretti Nursery and Preparatory School Rushoroza has held a thanksgiving to God for the success registered in the Primary Seven results on 2023 in which the school emerged as third best UPE school in the whole country. The thanksgiving Mass was held yesterday February 7, 2024 in Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral with Mass presided over by the school chaplain Rev. Fr. Maniragaba Garasiano. During the preaching, Fr. Garasiano said it is always good to give thanks to God, and in doing so, more will be added. He related the act of Thanksgiving by St. Maria Goretti Nursery and Preparatory School Rushoroza to one leper who came back to give thanks after 10 of them were cured of leprosy. He urged the school administration and the pupils especially P.7 candidates 2024 to keep the standards high and avoid falling back.

Sr. Marina Lobur, the head teacher in her remarks, thanked God for the gift of life and success accorded to candidates of 2023.  77 students had sat PLE and 75 came in division I and 2 in Division II. Six pupils scored aggregate 4 including the Head Girl 2023, Ahurira Elizabeth Twesigye, daughter to Mr. Twesigye Nesterio, District Health Educator for Ntungamo district. Others include Ahereza Gift, Arinaitwe Blessing, Ahurira Brillian, Ayebare Ambrose and Kansiime Hellen. 10 pupils also scored aggregate 5. Science was the best done subject with 76 distinctions, followed by Social Studies (SST) with 74 distinctions, English with 72 distinctions and Mathematics with 30 distinctions. Sr. Martina attributed the success to the cooperative teaching and non teaching staff, hard working pupils who always have time for God as their priority.

She thanked Bishop Callist Rubaramira for always imparting an apostolic blessing to the candidates before they sit their exams, for St. Maria Goretti has a special attachment to Bishops since it was started by Bishop Barnabas Halem’Imana in the 1980s. She also thanked the Diocesan Education Office for the ideas and contributions they always make for the betterment of education standards in Kabale Diocese. She appealed to the current P.7 students of 2024 to be inspired by the results of 2023 and aim higher than that. She lastly requested the successful students to go to secondary schools and represent St. Maria Goretti N/P School Rushoroza by keeping the candle burning. She thanked the chief guest, Hon. Ninsiima Evelyn Kikafunda.

Mr. Silas Tumukunde, Chairman PTA for St. Maria Goretti N/P School, also representing the School Management Committee, thanked the Catholic Church as foundation body for always supporting their beloved school. He thanked foundering members who laid foundation for establishment of St. Maria Goretti in the 1980s but have not lived to witness the su. He thanked parents for taking care of the children and giving them necessary requirements for the success of their children and the teachers for the good work done in teaching and forming students in order to register success. He requested parents to cooperate with school administration for the success of the school and taking it to greater heights.

Mr. Willy Hakunente representing the Kabale Diocesan Education office congratulated the school administration and entire community of St. Maria Goretti for the success registered in 2023 PLE. He also thanked the teaching and no teaching staff for the mutual collaboration in school and to the teaching staff thank you for the teaching well and registering success. He thanked the head teacher Sr. Martina Lobur for motivating the teachers to perform better and hopes for more success. He also reminded school administration that the school is under the ministry of education and sports, and that you have excelled academically, also put efforts to excel in the field of sports. Mr. Willy notes that as education department in Kabale Diocese, this year, more emphasis is on Academic excellence, catechism and prayers, discipline, teamwork, transparency, safeguarding children’s rights and sanitation among others.

Evelyne Ninsiima Kikafunda, President of the Green Environment Promotion, GEP and CEO of Live to Inspire Uganda Chapter, in her remarks as Chief Guest and OG of St. Maria Goretti N/P School, called on pupils to prioritize education and abstain from early sex asking them to front God to avoid dangers like HIV, school dropout, early pregnancy and marriage. Recalling her own experience, Kikafunda shared a lesson from her P.5 Science teacher, who stressed the significance of abstinence for female students to thrive in the future.

She underscored the challenges faced by young girls during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many dropped out of school due to pregnancies and early marriages. She further applauded the parents for educating their children emphasizing that education is the only sustainable gift a parent can give a child.

My late Dad was not educated but because of the gift of education my parents gave me, I am able to move the world – Ninsiima Evelyne Kikafunda, President GEP.

Kikafunda thanked the parents for educating their children emphasizing that education is the only sustainable gift a parent can give a child.  She was proud to mention how her late father  Kikafunda William was not educated but because of the gift of education her parents gave her, she is able to move the world. She also encouraged students to work hard, be disciplined, and confident, emphasizing that trust in the Lord is crucial for success.

The school achieved success with 6 pupils scoring 4 aggregates, each receiving UGX 200,000 and a mattress. The 10 students with 5 aggregates received a 1.5 kg blanket each.