Virginia – The Chairman of Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia (CONTROL) has told students of Teebey Memorial Academy high school that a high school diploma is not a document for one’s career but rather the beginning of another academic sojourn for brighter future.
Archie I. Sarnor spoke over the weekend during the sixth commencement exercise of the school held at the Unity Conference Center.
He called on members of the graduating class to bear in mind that the battle of academic success is not for the strong neither the swift, but he that endures till the end.
“This result tells me that over 97 % made a successful pass so I am pleased to say congratulations to you all for your excellent performances.”
He described the school WAEC results as successful and congratulated the administration, students and parents for that fact that out of 270 students that sat the exam from the school, 264 were successful while only six failed.
“This is the reason for which I have come from the capital of calamity to the campus of competence not to discourage you but to encourage you to foster higher education where you will not destroy the dream of this country but you will develop. The value you will add to your education will allow you not to burn but to build a nation and fulfill a future for the state to survive forever.”
He mentioned that no one will achieve if they do not struggle for it, adding that they can meet the challenges of the time as evident of the WAEC results.
“I say thanks to each and every one of you for the sleepless night to obtain a good result.
I say, you have made Teebey Memorial Academy proud.”
The CONTROL boss said his reason of expressing praises to the students is because when the government of Liberia changed the academic calendar during the Ebola period, 11th graders who got promoted to the 12th grade did not complete the academic calendar but with all of the difficulties, they scored the needed grade in WAEC because in order to have a great nation, and a good society, it must rest on great men and women and a great nation must rest on the number of morally educated people because education is bed rock of any developing nation.
He stated that they as people should build a good society that will maintain old values and the quality education they learned must come with new vision and this can only happen when their country does not only focus on quantity education but quality education as well.
Sarnor told the students that they should not slow down or even sit back for one day, saying they must not sleep as time is running out to meet up with the global challenges to change Liberia for the better.
“And this is why I have come from the capital of calamity to the campus of competence not to destroy the dream of this country but to develop the mind. I have come again from the capital of calamity to the campus of competence not to burn but to build a society for the state to survive forever.”
“I’m here to convince you and motivate you as your parents and guardians, friends and families sit to witness me standing with you and your faculty to watch the historical significance emancipated proclamation from high school with a document to allow you foster the higher education and therefore, this diploma is not easily accepted as a career of one life work but is a requirement to be admitted to any higher university of your choice depending on the financial status of your parents or guardians.”
He believes such motivation will help members of the graduating class to matriculate to the university where their days of uniformity are over and after they have been successful at the university, it would be left with them to get into the universe.
“One thing you should bear in mind is what you have learned, only your upbringing, moral integrity, sincerity, character will help you to be the survival of the fittest at the university of the universe and as we are approaching a critical period of our country history of 2017, you will be part of the decision making. I advise you not to be carried away by political speeches.
The Politics should not be rhetoric but reality and I think more is requiring of public officials than just a political slogan and lies, press releases and handshakes.”
CONTROL boss called on his fellow Liberians to work together in their struggle to hold public officials accountable to the people because he knows there is a need all citizens demand those officials to fulfill their promises if it is made to them.
“We must demand them to provide the people with the new version for the future that we have not seen if we, as politicians or public officials made a promise, we must deliver by force and when politicians or public officials propose, they must produce by all cost.
“We should all sacrifice for the state and we should not always allow personal interest and bitterness prevail over national interest therefore, we should be people with national allegiance and build a society to accommodate all, when we will no longer encourage the bitterness of country and Congo, Muslim and Christian and we should live as brothers and sisters but we must deal with those who are continuing to be obstacles to the success of this state.
CONTROL Chairman warned that people should be held accountable for executing the 14 years civil war.
“Let us have sympathy for this favorite nation, empathy for ethical people and sacrifice for the state and help society to succeed therefore, we should fight for a freedom where our success will be greater than our suffering then our effort will not be in vain because those who felt oppressed yesterday are the oppressors today.’