Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Umunze remains the best –Students, Teachers, parents

Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Umunze, Orumba South council area of Anambra state is still the best Secondary school in Anambra State, so said students, parents and teachers who witnessed the school’s annual Feast and Parents’ day celebration on Sunday.

Some students of the school including Anne Ariguzo in SS3 Arts, Eze Victoria of SS 2 Science and Anaelo Miracle in SS3 Arts  described their school as the best and emphasized that their teachers are wonderful and give them the best . 

For Anne Ariguzo , a lawyer in the making who was hostels’ Prefect, Receptionist and Journalist described Madonna Girls’ Secondary School is not only good academically but morally sound in every aspect. She concludes that the teachers and management team are doing their best to bring up children of the future.

On her part, Eze Victoria who is a future Medical Doctor/Surgeon said the Madonna Girls’ Secondary School, Umunze has good teachers who are research based and ready to take the students through laboratory and research works for better apprehension.

As well, Anaelo Miracle described the students of Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Umunze as bright and beautiful with hardworking spirit, always eager to learn new things. According to her, ‘’everything about Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Umunze is great and the best’’.

In their contribution, some teachers of the school, Mrs Onyinye Stella Anazodo nee Otugbu, Mrs Nwankwo Blessing Phillip and Mrs Juliet Okoli lauded the academic standard of the school insisting that teacher/ students relationship in the school was exemplary, while the Manager of the School, Rev Fr. Paul Onyebuchi and the Dean of Studies, Mrs Ezenwegbu Veronica said Madonna stands out among others schools because of its emphasis on child formation rather than only academics.

For Mrs Onyinye Stella Anazodo nee Otugbu , the Biology teacher, informed that the staff welfare of the school remained the best in Anambra state hence the teachers are doing their best to train the students in all round child education.  

In similar contribution, Mrs Nwankwo Blessing Phillip , CRS teacher said the school is always a winner at anything it engages in during competitions and is outstanding in almost everthing both in agriculture , craft, academic and sports with outstanding records in WAEC and JAMB and other exams.

Also , the English Language teacher, Mrs Juliet Okoli appealed to those whose female children are not yet in the school to bring their wards there as the school cannot be matched in academics , moral and extra curricula activities. She said the school is child friendly , morally standard and educationally good.

Contributing, the Dean of Studies , Mrs Ezenwegbu Veronica said the school is in need of more young girls to rescue from the decadence in the society today by enrolling them in the school as they have only 336 students now. She said because it is a mission school , there is good foundation to be laid on the girls and the character of girls brought up in the institution cannot be comparable to those in public schools. She reminded that those who came in from public schools giving them trouble have changed for good. 

Manager of the School, Rev Fr. Paul Onyebuchi called for patronage by parents and guardians of girls of school age to think of bringing their female children to Madonna Girls Umunze for a secured future morally and academically as the school is unequalled in morality and academics.

Fr Onyebuchi reminded that Madonna Girls’ Umunze is committed in the total formation of the Girl child hence it’s vision is beyond academics. He appealed for more enrolment from the public into the school with a difference to enable them train more girls who are ready to take over leadership tomorrow.

Proprietor of the College and the Catholic Bishop of Awka diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor in his homily during the Pontifical Holy Mass advised Christians to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness as it is the only way to maintain peaceful co-existence in the society.

The Mass which took place at the playground of Madonna Girls Secondary School Umunze, Orumba South council area of Anambra state in celebration of their annual Feast and Parents’ day, had Bishop Ezeokafor presiding with many priests assisting. He advised Christians to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and love as it is the major weapon that conquers hatred.

The catholic Bishop of Awka who gave his sermon on ‘love of our enemies’, said that what starts major conflicts which usually leads to war is the urge for revenge as Once there is revenge, war erupts.

Sounding a wake-up call to parents on the need to secure adequate educational training for children, Bishop Ezeokafor said that Madonna Girls Secondary School, Umunze is one of the rare schools parents must endeavor to send their children to because of what the children stands to benefit from the school.

He urged parents to shun attitude of looking at the cost of missionary schools but instead should look at what their ward stands to benefit from trainings obtainable in the school.

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“If you think education in missionary school is expensive, try ignorance the major reason why the Catholic Church decided to set up this school is to ensure that children are given sound moral and academic lesson to be useful to both the parents and the society at large.

Meanwhile, the School Principal, Lady Justina Obiageli Okafor, in her address disclosed that the students of the school are exposed to many technical skills including operating special machines, production of beads, Christmas flower and reading lamps and others which helped prepare students for the future, even as the school clamour for more space and accommodation to adapt the growing student population in the school.

The principal stressed that one of the major problem facing the school is space as the school needs more land to accommodate the growing population of students, who she said would soon feel squeezed into a little enclosure.

She described Madonna School Umunze as a school with a difference and exclusively for young girls who are studiously disposed.

“Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Umunze, being a school with a difference, has a vision that goes beyond academics. We are committed to producing students who are well formed and informed.

“Our academic life has continued to improve with each passing year. We have continued to record lots of success in different examinations. We recorded 100% successes in the past NECO, BECE, and 99% in WAEC examinations.

“Our students who attended the annual Diocesan quiz competition for catholic secondary schools in Awka Diocese last year, came first in the junior category. This year again, the same quiz competition came up in the regional level last week and our school claimed 3rd position in the senior category and 1st in the junior category” She said.

Mrs Okafor informed that the school had constructed a fish pond for their fishery venture with fishes ready for sale and that they were already into poultry venture.

‘’Our school took third position in the 2019 Readers challenge , the competition organized by the Federal College of Education (Tech) Umunze Alumni Association of ‘’Make Orumba Great Again’’ in the Junior category , on 11^th February 2019. Shortly after our feast day last year, our students attended the diocesan quiz competition for Catholic Secondary Schools in Awka diocese and came first in the Junior category.

‘’This year again , the same quiz competition came up in the regional level last week. We are happy to tell you that Madonna Students came 3^rd in the Senior Category and 1^st in the Junior Category. We are anxiously preparing for the final at the diocesan level next month, hopeful as always to bring the trophy home the second time. Still more, our school was second place winner of JA Company of the year competition in Eastern Region in collaboration with junior Achievement Nigeria held at St John of God Secondary School, Awka in June 2018’’.  

The Provost of Federal College of Education Umunze, Dr Mrs Tessy Okoli, Chairman Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Hon Clement Chukwu represented by Mr Sunday Nduka, and the President General Umunze Progressive Union, Chief John Akanyeonu, as well as Engr. Emmanuel Obinna Nwafor, House of Assembly Aspirant among others described the feats recorded in the school in glowing terms and urged the staff to remain steadfast in their qualities that have made the students unique in all ramifications. They described Madonna Girls’ Secondary School as the best for girl children in the state, even as they urged the students to continue being good ambassadors of the school and Catholic Church at all times.

Awards were given to deserving students who performed well in their different areas of study and school activities including Nweke Maryjane as best in Geography , Onwe Frances as best in Physics , Isaac Maryjane as overall best in junior category and Isaac Jacinta as overall best in Senior Category among others.