2026 Speech and Prize-Giving Day Celebration
St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School, Cantonments
14th February 2026
Address by Most Rev. John Kobina Louis
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Accra
1. Introduction
The Chairman, Mr. Gayheart Mensah, our Guest Speaker, Professor Jonathan Quartey, the School Board Chairman and Members, the Headmaster, Rev. Fr. George Obeng Appah, Members of Staff, distinguished guests, parents, dear students, ladies and gentlemen, we come together to celebrate the achievements of our students and some staff members, and to reflect on some core values that guide our institution.
2. The Theme
The theme for this year’s event, Discipline and Integrity: A Drive to Educational Excellence, captures some of the values we uphold as a Catholic school, a community, and individuals. The word, “drive”, in the theme suggests “education excellence” as a desired destination to which we are journeying. In that case, “discipline” could be seen as the engine of our vehicle and “integrity” as its fuel.
3. Catholic Church’s Perspective on Educational Excellence
Let us begin by considering our desired destination – educational excellence. Education, from the Catholic Church’s perspective, is not solely about acquiring knowledge. It is about the formation of the whole human person: mind, body, and soul. Hence, excellence in education must be holistic, encompassing the intellectual, physical, psychological, social, moral, spiritual, and other dimensions of human development.
Therefore, excellence in education is realized when graduates are intellectually brilliant, professionally competent, physically sound, psychologically balanced, morally upright, spiritually faithful, and they contribute to the progressive development of society in which human dignity and the common good are paramount.
4. Discipline as the Engine
The engine is the core of the car—it determines how the car moves and whether it moves at all. The engine is what converts effort into movement. Discipline plays this role in education because it is the inner mechanism that turns goals into action. It organizes your time, sets routines, and ensures steady progress through regular study, practice, and focus. No matter how intelligent or talented a student is, without discipline there is no consistent movement toward excellence—just like a car without an engine cannot move.
5. Integrity as the Fuel
Fuel keeps the engine running and determines how cleanly and efficiently it performs. Integrity supplies the moral energy that sustains discipline. When your work is honest, your effort is sincere, and your intentions are pure, integrity keeps you motivated and confident. It prevents academic shortcuts such as cheating or plagiarism, which may seem to move you forward but actually damage the journey. Without integrity, discipline becomes empty or mechanical and may eventually break down.
6. Conclusion
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, and especially, dear students, discipline provides the power to move, while integrity provides the substance that keeps that power alive and healthy. An engine without fuel cannot run, and fuel without an engine is useless to the car. Therefore, to reach educational excellence safely and meaningfully, discipline and integrity must work together.
Finally, I wish to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees of today. I hope that they will exemplify discipline and integrity. May their continued success inspire others to follow the path of true educational excellence.
May God bless you all!
Thank you!
