“Milestone in evangelization”: Official on Kenyan Spiritan School’s 10th Anniversary

Holy Ghost Schools – Makueni, the Kenyan-born Spiritan Priest said, “has met the intended objective of empowering the marginalized” with over 70 students being beneficiaries of the scholarship initiative.

“We have given an opportunity to boys who would not have had an opportunity to have secondary school education, especially those sponsored students,” he further said about the Spiritan school located at Sultan Hamud in the newly created Catholic Diocese of Wote.

Credit: Fr. John Kamangara

The boys’ school initiative has facilitated the realization of additional services, Fr. Kamangara said, adding, “The school laid the foundation for the establishment of  the Spiritans Technical College and the Holy Ghost Dispensary.” 

He further said that the learning institution has been instrumental in uplifting the livelihoods of the members of the surrounding community.

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“The school is surrounded by a community, which is not very stable financially. The school has employed our non teaching staff from within the community. When we employ them, they earn something to uplift their livelihood,” he said.

Credit: Fr. John Kamangara

Fr. Kamangara said that the construction of the school and the increase of the student population is a great achievement, and added, “To construct and to establish a school which is running up to now is not something which is easy.”

“Student numbers have increased since establishment. Some of the students have transitioned to university. Our Motto is Prepared for Life. We have prepared a big number of boys for life,” the Priest told ACI Africa in the February 9 interview ahead of the February 10 celebration to be presided over by Bishop John Mbinda of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Lodwar, and Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru of Wote Diocese among the concelebrants.

“We are celebrating how many boys we have been able to transition to a better, promising life,” the Director of the school that sits on a 40-acre piece of land said.

Credit: Fr. John Kamangara

A prize giving ceremony for the class of 2023, the launch of the school's strategic plan, and alumni association, and a fundraiser towards the establishment of an ICT center for the school are among the activities of the February 10 celebration organized under the theme, “Celebrating  10 years of Holistic Formation and Achievement in Our Institution”.

“Many boys have passed through our hands and are in different professional fields. This is the time we need their input, to collaborate with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), (and) Board of Management (BOM),” Fr. Kamangara said about the launch of the alumni association.

He added, “These past students can also organize and mobilize others in starting projects that will help move the school forward. We hope that when these boys come on board they will be able to network, develop in capacity building, uniting and supporting programs for the staff.”

Credit: Fr. John Kamangara

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On the Strategic Plan 2023-2028 to be launched, the Director of Holy Ghost Schools-Makueni said that the plan “identifies priority in learning, evaluation and assessment, fostering spiritual welfare of the students, guide school development and mentorship and character building.”

He explained the purpose of the planned fundraiser, saying, “We have a vision to establish an ICT center of excellence in our school. The center will serve as a hub. Students and staff will have access to technology resources, including hardware and software.”

“In addition, the center will provide training and support to the students, ensuring that they acquire skills and knowledge necessary to leverage technology and personal life,” Fr. Kamangara told ACI Africa on February 9.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.