Well, another successful school year in our Padri Vjeko VTC has come to an end. We made an effort to make the last day of school, and for many - the last day of their education - a happy occasion with memories to last a lifetime. The school year here in Rwanda begins with the first Monday in January, and it ends in late November or early December.

This year a total of 184 students successfully completed their education, while another 146 will continue into their second year of studies. Our hope, for these second year students, as well as for the students who will begin their first year, is that there will be even more graduates who will one day be able to support themselves and their families. Students who graduate from our school are well respected, not just in Rwanda, but also in neighbouring countries. This confirms that we are on the right track, by helping the local population to improve their lives.

The last day of school began with the Holy Mass in the Parish Church to thank God for all that he has done for us. This year the Mass was celebrated in English. After the Mass we rested a short while, and then continued the day’s program with volleyball finals, a sport that has become very popular among both the students and teachers of our school. I was very glad to see the crowd fiercely cheering and supporting both teams, because small things like that help to develop community spirit... something else that we are very proud of.

After the sports activities ended, the program continued with the handing out of the test result booklets. So many young people, proud of their success, paraded through our playground. We consider their happiness reward enough for all our hard work!

This year we presented a lot of awards: for best students, for those who were most regular at school, for the best disciplined, for the best journalists, musicians, sportspersons, for those who maintained a neat and tidy appearance, and especially for the second year builders who worked very hard on the construction of our new secondary school, due to open next year.

The program continued with the celebration of those who graduated; as they enjoyed the cheerful rhythms of disco music, they consumed soft drinks and danced to traditional dances. Parties are a rarity here; that’s why we really tried to provide some well-deserved entertainment to our graduates for working so hard work this past year. The day’s celebrations ended with a teacher council meeting and all departed for home.

The really good news is that most of the students who are finishing school have already found employment and will soon start to work. Well done!

Translated by Branimir Mlakić
Edited by Valerie Kae Ken

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