First Lady interacts with teaches students

Fiapre (B/A) July 25, GNA - The First Lady, Mrs. Theresa Kufour on Thursday urged female students to aim high, be disciplined and serious with their studies to be able to attain their goals. 'With determination, tenacity of purpose, consistent and effective learning, you will be able to climb the life ladder to become great women and role models in your communities, she told students of Notre Dame Catholic Girls Senior Secondary School at Fiapre, near Sunyani.

Mrs. Kufour was interacting with the staff and students of the school as part of a day's maiden official visit to Brong Ahafo. She emphasized: "Discipline is the bedrock of success in any human endeavour and if you are disciplined, about 50 per cent of your problems are solved already".

The First Lady reiterated the reality of HIV/AIDS, "which is killing both the young and the old" and advised the students to abstain from sex, which, she said could jeopardize their future dreams and aspirations.

Mrs. Kufour said she was impressed with the orderliness, modesty and smart appearance of the students, coupled with the beautiful scenery of the school compound and commended the authorities for administering the school to its current state of academic excellence.

Mrs. Kufour presented an undisclosed amount towards the school's building projects and gave the assurance to assist the institution, where possible, to obtain its developmental and logistical needs. The Reverend Sister Vivian Zoller, Headmistress, expressed the joy of the staff and students for the visit, saying they were overwhelmed by

the First Lady's visit as it expressed her interest in the welfare and development of children and the youth.

She said the school, with 522 students, 25 teachers and 18 non-teaching staff lacked a lot of facilities, "but, that notwithstanding, we are striving to attain academic excellence and the highest level of moral discipline".

The Headmistress said the school needed additional classroom blocks, a library complex, a computer laboratory, an assembly hall and also teachers' bungalows.

Sister Zoller said the future looked bright for the school and gave the assurance that the administration and the teaching staff would redouble efforts to help the students to excel.

Mrs Kufour later called on the Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of the Sunyani Catholic Diocese and lauded the efforts of the Church towards the spiritual and socio-economic growth of the region.

Brong Ahafo owes its present economic, health and educational development partly to the works and policies of the Church, she added. Bishop Gyamfi expressed gratitude to President Kufour and the First

Lady for their assistance during the death and burial of the late Most Reverend James Kwadwo Owusu, first Bishop of the Diocese. He also thanked the President for his presence and gift during his recent consecration and installation and pledged the Diocese's continued assistance in the development of the region. Mrs Kufour later called on the leadership of the Mid-West Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) in Sunyani.