In Loreto Girls’ Secondary School, we prepare our students to produce impressive results. During the Senior One admission process for the girls, Mathematics and English tests are administered followed by an oral English interview. Those who pass are admitted to Senior One and those who show promise enter into the Transition Year class.

Preparing for Senior One

The Transition Year serves as a preparatory class, helping students to strengthen their academic foundations. At the end of the year, students are assessed and promoted to Senior One upon passing.

For a girl to be admitted to Senior One, her parents or guardian must sign a commitment to keep her in school for the four years of study required to complete her secondary education.

While in school, the girls are encouraged to work hard to develop their potential. They are provided with adequate resources such as stationery – textbooks and revision materials, and writing materials, and an environment conducive to studying. The students complete several assessments to help them revise and review their academic progress along the way.

At the middle of the term the girls sit for midterm tests before taking a midterm break. At the end of the term they sit for exams and by the end of the year, the average for the three terms determines their promotion to the next class. Therefore, they have to work throughout the year to secure the opportunity for their promotion.

Teresa Akundid of Senior Two explains, “I have to work hard throughout the year to get a good average and make it to the next class. I am also putting efforts in all subjects because even though I can weigh where my interests lie, I understand it can change with time. I also have to cooperate with my classmates so that together we do better.”

Mentorship

Students also have mentorship sessions arranged by year heads at their convenience, and health lessons for overall development.

During mentorship sessions, year heads advise them on the importance of working hard and maintaining good class relations. At the start of each term, teachers also meet with the administration to discuss the progress of students and ways to help improve their learning.

Working with Parents

In the course of the year, parents are invited to discuss their daughters’ progress and conduct. This term the parents of Senior One, Senior Two and Transition Year students were invited.

The co-operation of the parents is essential to help the school achieve its mission. The Principal, Headteacher and respective year heads attended the meeting.

In her speech, the Principal, Sr Orla, encouraged parents to help the administration keep the girls focused to ensure good results,

As the country develops, we need more educated women. In Loreto we compete with the standards of East Africa. In Loreto, we consider aspect of performance and discipline in the context of the church. The girls’ ambition to achieve will contribute to the building of the nation. According to our school admission policy, we admit girls from all over South Sudan as a way of encouraging people to live with each other.”

Parents also encouraged the girls to keep focused, especially the girls whose parents were unable to make the meeting because of the distance. The girls were urged to trust in God and to work hard to make their future brighter.

The current Senior 4 examination candidates stood in for parents who did not attend the meeting. They encouraged and advised the girls (their school granddaughters and great granddaughters) as a way of strengthening and making use of the School Family system.

Photos from a recent Parent / Teacher meeting