BY JOY OFASIA
The Right Reverend Bishop Othniel Gamutu has challenged students of St Nicholas Anglican College to use their education not only to improve their own lives, but also to help build a better Solomon Islands and Melanesia.
Bishop Gamutu made the call during the 40th anniversary celebration of St Nicholas College, held under the theme, “Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future.”
Speaking on behalf of the Anglican Church of Melanesia and the Diocese of Central Melanesia, Bishop Gamutu said the 40-year milestone was much more than a celebration.
“Forty years is more than a number. It is a story,” he said.
He said the story was built on faith, sacrifice and the hard work of teachers, parents, students, church leaders and the wider community.
Bishop Gamutu thanked teachers who had spent many years educating generations of students. He also recognised parents who made sacrifices to give their children opportunities through education.
He praised principals and school administrators for carrying the responsibility of leading the college over the years.
The Bishop also highlighted the important role of the Anglican Church of Melanesia in supporting education.
He said the Church believes education is part of its Christian mission and should develop more than academic knowledge.
“We honour the Anglican Church of Melanesia, whose commitment to education has always been grounded in the conviction that education is part of Christian mission – developing not only the mind, but also the character, conscience and spirit of the whole person,” he said.
Turning his attention to the students, Bishop Gamutu reminded them that they are not only the future of St Nicholas College.
He said they are also part of the future of Solomon Islands and Melanesia.
He told the students that earlier generations had carried the responsibility of building the college for 40 years, and that responsibility was now being passed on to them.
Bishop Gamutu encouraged the students to think carefully about how they would use the education and opportunities they receive.
He asked them whether they would use their education only to build better lives for themselves or whether they would also use it to help their communities and country.
As St Nicholas College looks towards the next 40 years, Bishop Gamutu urged the school community to remember its history with gratitude and face the future with faith and hope.
He said the college had already written an important chapter in its history, but its community must now help lay a strong foundation for the generations of students still to come.
