Over the weekend the Thomas Foundation Institute headed by Montserrado County’s district #4 Representative, Michael M. Thomas, graduated over 2,000 students in varied disciplines that they may become independent and contribute to the society.
The November 16 graduation exercise was the Thomas Foundation Vocation School’s 7th circle, which should have been held on September 21, 2024, but was postponed due to an administrative decision.
The graduation, held in the Peaceful Lutheran Church on the Du-Port Road, was flooded with the graduates, parents, well-wishers., the school’s Chief Executive Officer, Tarina Tarr Thomas, and administrative staffers.
Addressing the cheerful graduates and others, the keynote speaker, Representative Thomas, thanked the courageous graduates for walking out of the walls of the foundation institute with certificates that they can live on.
“We will celebrate people who have stood the test of time, the best time in our society, and who will make the difference,” Representative Thomas told the graduates.
He challenged them not to be satisfied upon graduation and sit down supinely, but press forward for higher height. He added that vocational education is very important and is dependable for life’s transformation.
“Vocation education plays a major role in an individual life in our society, despite the significance of academic education,” the Representative said.
He praised the resilience and determination of the graduates with a proverb. “You can take a donkey to the river but you can’t force it to drink,” he said, meaning that one can force students to attend school, but only those who are determined will do so and complete the course of study.
In a conciliatory tone, Representative Thomas urged the graduates to group themselves by five, six and above persons, form organizations and keep exerting their skills. He told them not to be exorbitant in their charge for service, as compared to those who have experience and do not do cheap work. Rather, he admonished them to accept any amount, for by doing so their work will praise them and recommend them to other people.
Representative Thomas bragged that students who graduated from the institution earlier are “hot cakes” in the society, and he is proud of them. He testified that one of his graduates repaired a damaged pipe in his presence, which transformed the condition of the pipe into a better one.
The trade school is free of charge, and registration for 2025 started on November 18 and runs through December 30, 2024. Classes begin January 5, 2025.
The CEO of the school, Tarina Tarr Thomas, expressed joy for the graduates’ determination, and said, “We don’t want to see your again. Go and let others come and attend.” Her jovial tone caused the graduates to burst into a giggling.
She used the occasion to announce that, apart from the free vocational school, the foundation runs a high school which fees are affordable for financially-constrained parents and students. She added that the registration for the vocational school is allowed on the Du-Port Road campus alone. Thomas used the occasion to also launch the construction project of the vocational school’s advanced courses.
The school put out graduates in electricity, plumbing, beauticare, tailoring, 3-D technology, and so on.
Two parents whose children graduated rained praises on Representative Thomas, his wife and staffers of the school for giving their children vocational skills.
Several students expressed appreciation and vowed to continue with the advanced diploma or degree courses.
