At Spiritan School Anniversary in Kenya, Bishop Emphasizes Evaluation, Strategic Planning

Bishop Mbinda went on to emphasize the need to go beyond evaluation and engage in planning in a process that begins with gratitude to God.

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“After thanking God for everything and reflecting on where we went right and wrong, we also want to plan,” he said, and to underscore the value of planning added, “To fail to plan is to plan to fail.”

Bishop John Mbinda giving the homily during the celebration to mark 10 years since Holy Ghost Schools - Makueni in Kenya’s newest Catholic Diocese of Wote was established. Credit: ACI Africa

“This is why we are launching a strategic plan, a blueprint, a path that we want to follow so that we can move a step higher,” the Catholic Bishop said, referring to the Holy Ghost Schools – Makueni Strategic Plan 2023-2028 that was launched during the February 10 event held at the Sultan Hamud school premises along Nairobi-Mombasa Road.

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Bishop Mbinda added, “We want to see new, good, things when we return to celebrate 20 years of the school’s existence.”

The first-ever Kenyan Spiritan Bishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in June 2022 following his appointment in April 2022 underscored the need to “welcome Christ in our plans, that He may lead us so that we may be successful.” 

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“We will succeed only if we follow Christ’s example. Christ starts His apostolate filled with the Holy Spirit,” he said, and added, “While we launch the strategic plan, it is good that we follow Christ's example. Christ targets those who are not seen as worthy in society, and those who need more mercy from Christ; the weak, blind, deaf, the hopeless. Christ is with them to change their lives.”

At the celebration that had the Local Ordinary of Wote Diocese, Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru, among the concelebrants, Bishop Mbinda went on to call upon the stakeholders of Holy Ghost Schools - Makueni to embrace the spirit of the ongoing Synod on Synodality, which Pope Francis extended to 2024, with the first phase, 4-29 October 2023, having concluded with a 42-page summary report.

Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru. Credit: ACI Africa

“We need to work together; we have to walk together. We have done it before: parents, teachers, students, but today as we renew ourselves, let us even work more closely in the spirit of the Synod (on Synodality,” he said about the worldwide initiative of Pope Francis organized under the theme, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”.

Alluding to the Synod on Synodality theme, Bishop Mbinda implored, “May we enter in true communion because it is where there is communion that Christ is.”

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He continued, “When we unite in spirit and heart, we will be able to work together in all. In working together, we will walk together so that every sponsor in this school performs their duty well.”

In his speech during the February 10 event, the Director of the Holy Ghost Schools - Makueni said the five-year Strategic Plan that was being launched “was developed to provide a common roadmap for the direction and to guide the future success of our school.”

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Fr. John Kamangara explained that the plan, which includes the school’s mission, vision, goals and critical issues, will provide direction to the school community from 2023 to 2028. 

Fr. John Kamangara, CS.Sp Director of the Holy Ghost Schools-Makueni. Credit: ACI Africa

The Kenyan-born Spiritan Priest said the plan identifies priorities that will guide the school community’s activity and a reference for decision in the areas of teaching and learning, evaluation and assessment, fostering and physical development of the students, integrated school development, and mentorship and character building.

A dummy of the school's strategic plan 2023-2028. Credit: ACI Africa

“For each of these areas, a statement of strategic direction has been developed. This statement expresses a vision of the future of our school, goals and strategies for each area have been identified to get more specific action planning,” Fr. Kamangara said. 

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He added that the plan, which was developed by the school administration and teachers with input from the Board of Managers (BOM), parents, and students “will provide a framework for accountability and ensure that the school manages its financial and human resources towards the realization of its vision over the next five years.”

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A prize giving ceremony, the launch of the school’s alumni association, and a fundraiser towards the establishment of an ICT center for the school were among the activities of the February 10 celebration organized under the theme, “Celebrating 10 years of Holistic Formation and Achievement in Our Institution”.

Credit: ACI Africa