Accra, Feb. 11, GNA – Mrs Princess Umul Hatiyya Ibrahim Mahama, an author, has called on students to look at failures as opportunities to unleash the potential within to impact the world.
She said « some titans in industry, politics, academia and various disciplines in the world failed countless times in their pursuit before they succeeded. »
Mrs Mahama, who is an Old Girl of St. Mary’s Senior High School, 1994/1996 Year Group, said this to students at the 69th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the school in Accra.
The event co-supported by the St Mary’s Old Girl’s Association (SMOGA), 1994/1996 Year Group was held under the theme: « Dare to be different: Unleash the Potential within to impact the World. »
She said failure though pain was a vital ingredient to success, adding that « whenever you fail, learn the lessons, use the lessons and move on. »
She said the world was evolving at a break-neck speed and students must learn to evolve or risk being left behind, indicating that the skills valued in the world of work 20 years ago, may not be those valued 20 years from now.
Mrs Mahama urged the students to acquire soft skills such as emotional intelligence; this includes being confident and constantly asking questions.
The author, who is also an entrepreneur, said other soft skills they must pursue are insatiable hunger for knowledge, cultivating a growth mind set, thinking critically and never losing their child-like curiosity.
She commended teachers of the school for their commitment to develop the students, reminding them that they should never forget that they wield immense power to shape the future of their students.
To parents she said, « Let’s believe in the gift God has deposited in our children and let us give them roots to grow and the wings to fly. »
Mrs Grace Mansa Eshun, the Headmistress of the School, appealed to parents to collaborate with the management of the school to groom the students to become responsible adults in society.
She said the school recorded impressive results in the last year’s West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSSCE) with 90 per cent but core mathematics remained a worry to the school.
Mrs Eshun said the management of the School has taken the needed measure and were adopting strategies such as remedial lessons and early morning preps to overcome the challenge of students scoring low marks in the subject and preparing effectively for their examination.
She commended the alumni for their continuous support to the growth and development of the school.
The Headmistress, touching on the accommodation situation of staff, said the School needed a staff quarters to house its teachers, since some of them report to class early and leave as late as 2100 hours.
Awards were given to some continuing students (Form two and three), who exceled in various subjects with Naomi Aboagye Dacosta, a Science three student, emerging the overall student.
Ms Franka Adjei-Yeboah, an old student, was also honoured for obtaining 7As and 1B2 in the 2018 WASSSCE.
