MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The General Overseer of the Church of God Liberia Worldwide Missions, Bishop Jacob H. Harris, is urging Liberian Students to pursue quality and sound education, as a means to overcome future challenges.
According to Bishop Harris, countries around the world are advancing in all spheres of society, and if Liberian students are to be successful, they must endeavor to acquire quality education.
He said:” In your quest to achieve sound education, you must apply all the necessary formalities by ensuring you studied well and put into practice the level of what you have been taught by the various teachers.”
Bishop Harris made the assertion Saturday, January 29,2022, when he served as keynote speaker during the 4th Graduation Ceremony of the Norma E. Williams Institute, at the Church of God, ELWA Junction in Paynesville.
He spoke on the theme: Education is the Bedrock for Nation Building’.
“If Liberia is to experience rapid growth and development, like other faster growing countries around the world, young people of school going ages, must take their education sojourn very serious or else development will be retarded, something that will not augur well for their nation”, the General Overseer of the Church of God Liberia Worldwide Missions indicated.
Bishop Harris said besides pursuing quality and sound education, one of the things that would make them successful in life is for them to revere God Almighty, be humble, hardworking and have respect for constituted authority.
The Liberian prelate reminded the graduates of the Norma E. Williams Institute not to limit themselves to only receiving High School diplomas, but the sky should be their limit in their education pursuit.
Bishop Harris said:” Among you graduates, I see doctors, engineers, scientists, ministers, presidents, ambassador and lawyers etc. but you can only become such, when you all acquired the best education’.
He narrated that young people in other parts of the world, like the United States of America, are curious in their studies and advancement, and young people of Liberia can do likewise.
He further cautioned the graduates to be like King Solomon, directing them to Ecclesiastes 1:12-13, concerning “Wisdom”.
Bishop Harris than thanked the school principal, teaching and support staff for their commitment and dedication to impact into the graduates the rightful knowledge.
He also called on parents and guardians not to limit their support to their children, as the children are the future leaders of Liberia.
In her message to the graduate, the President of the Norma E. Williams Institute, Ms. Antoinette W. Agbutu, said:” The graduate must know that the high school diploma is just the beginning of your journey but the sky must be your limit.”
Ms. Agbutu indicated that though there will be difficulties and challenges, they must bot give up, make effort, encourage oneself, see oneself as a leader and government in waiting and trust God.
In his valedictory statement, Daniel B. Willie of the Graduating Class called on parents to prioritize their children education, as supporting them will not be a waste, especially those children who are very serious about education.
Seeing the need and importance of education in the Liberian society, the wife of the then Bishop of the Church of God Liberia, Mother Norma E. Williams, decided to establish an elementary school in the basement of the church edifice.
The school established in May 1987, was then named the church of God Elementary School.