Joy and jubilation characterised the celebrations at Ibenga Girls Secondary School as the school commemorated its Diamond Jubilee under the theme “60 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.”
Girls, parents and scores of people from other walks of life, especially Ibenga alumni, flocked to the school for the festival.
Joyce Chibuye, the Alumni Chairperson who attended the school in 1975, could not hide her joy as she fully participated in all the day’s activities.
”As Ibenga celebrates its Diamond Jubilee in 2023, it gives me shivers. This morning I must have shed tears of joy as we were preparing to come to the celebration. It is really moving for me,” She said.
Joyce commended the religious sisters who have worked at the school since its inception for gallantly taking care of the girls during their teenage years.
She said the teenage stage is one of the most challenging stages in life to manage.
”This is why I give a big hand to the sisters at Ibenga, for they took care of us and are still trying their best to manage teenagers, who are actually very demanding to handle,” said Joyce.
She encouraged the young Ibenga girls to listen to what the sisters and their teachers are telling them, assuring them they would never regret it.
”It’s only when we grow old that we realise there are things we shouldn’t have done, but when we were growing up as youngsters, we wanted to experience a lot of things because that’s part of life,” said Joyce.
”I would like the girls to be attentive and take their studies seriously so that they end up like some of us or even better. We would like to have the first woman president coming from Ibenga.”
Joyce recollected her days at Ibenga in the 70s and the many lessons she learnt from the then head teacher, Sr. Alacoque of the Dominican Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
She said that Sister Alacoque used to follow up with the girls to make sure they did what was right.
”I am grateful to the Dominican Sisters, especially Sr. Alacoque, who is still living in Germany, for teaching me to glorify God above everything else. Each time I come to Ibenga and look at the church, it gives me happiness because I learnt that God should come first in everything that one does as a teenager,” said Joyce.
”Even today, we put God first and everything comes back in full view of what we used to enjoy here at Ibenga.”
Meanwhile, Joan Chipunza, a Grade Twelve pupil and head prefect of the ushers during the celebration, said the girls woke up with smiles and enthusiasm, determined to give their best to make the celebration a success.
”Everyone has put in so much that you could not even tell who the coordinator was anymore. I thank the girls for such great cooperation. Some are ushers, majorettes, altar girls, and others Stellas. Everyone is participating in some activity,” said Joan.
Joan also reflected on how she had come to like the school and considers it the best school ever.
”Over the years, the school has had good results and maintained great standards. They have taught us good morals, how to maintain cleanliness and how to enjoy ourselves together during entertainment,” she said.
”On a personal level, I have learnt to put things aside and not jump to conclusions, but to behave in a mature way.”
Upe Nalungwe also praised the sisters for imparting good values to the girls.
She recounted how Sr. Estella Kasonde, the Headteacher, always told the prefects to be alert and vigilant by looking around, making sure all was in place and avoiding the sin of omission.
And Mercy Kazembe, the president of the Interact Club, also expressed her pride in being at Ibenga.
”It’s the best school ever and I cannot imagine myself elsewhere,” she said.
She thanked the school management for running the school with excellence and for all the activities they organise for the girls, which teach them many valuable lessons.