News-and-Views/End of Academic Year 2014
Wad-Sherifey Refugee Elementary School
Successfully Ends Academic Year 2013-2014
March 15, 2014
On 14 March 2014, the Wad-Sherifey Elementary School for Eritrean Refugees in Eastern Sudan ended its academic year for 2013-2014 in a colourful ceremony attended by invited guests, parents and town dwellers.
Of the 616 students who took part in the final exams, 526 (i.ei. 85.5%) were promoted; 274 were boys and 252 girls.
At the ceremony, students showed plays, dramas, traditional songs and poetry in Arabic, Tigre, Tigrigna as well as in English. Most of the children attended grades one to six but there were 55 girls and 46 boys who were taught in English at grades seven and eight.
n his opening statement presented in Arabic and Tigrigna, the school director, Mr. Teklehaimanot Elfu, thanked for coming Eritrean honour guests, representatives of government offices in the town, members of the local police and security, delegates of the Sudanese Red Crescent as well as town dwellers and parents.
The school director recalled to memory the benevolent works of Father Marino Haile of Milan who supported the school for many years until his passing away last year and commended his colleague, Father Ghebrai Bedemariam, head of Catholic schools in the region, for his close friendship with the Wad- Sherifey school. Mr. Teklehaimanot Elfu also warmly saluted and thanked the Geneva-based charity (ASEE- Association Suisse-Enfance Erythree) that has been an active supporter of the school. He paid gratitude to the continuous medical support given to the school by the Sudanese Red Crescent, and commended compatriots in North America whose non-profit EDA (Eritrean Democratic Association) helped in major repairs of the school building in 2013. Mr. Meles Bihon was also mentioned for his continued interest and love of the school and his financial support.
Students stages various performances at the closing ceremony.
Besides Father Ghebrai and the school supervisor, Mr. Osman Ahmed, other Eritrean participants at
the ceremony included the veteran freedom fighter and Central Council member of the Eritrean People’s
Democratic Party (EPDP), Mr. ismail Nada and his wife from Khartoum; Messrs Babikir Mohammed
Hamed, and Idris Ismail from Kassala, and Tsehaye Keleta, a media person and radio broadcaster from
Sweden. It is expected that Mr. Tsehaye Keleta will share his video and photo coverage of the
ceremonies with concerned bodies as well as with the general public).
Father Ghebrai flanked by school supervisor Osman (right) and the school director Wedi Elfu.
One of the rare events at the ceremony was the distribution of Thank You messages in the form of
diplomas to each of the teach staff of Wad Sherifey for their exceptional teaching excellence shown in
the past. The diplomas of gratitude were prepared by former students of the school who are now
members of a football team in the region called Peace Club.
The Wad Sherifey refugee school was established 30 years ago in 1984 by the Eritrean Red Cross-
Crescent Society (ERCCAS) which has the recognition of the Sudanese Red Crescent and continues to
administer the school. The school starts its academic years in June and closes in March at the inset of
the hot season in Sudan.
The closing ceremony was ended after prizes were given to top winners and certificates distributed to all
by Father Ghebrai and Osman Ahmed.
EDA Board of Directors received a letter of gratitude from the Wadisherifey Refugee School administrative body in Kassala, Sudan for the donation it provided to repair the school building and desks. We have posted it here to share the appreciation with all who have been generously donating.
12/01/2013
