After more than 55 years in the regional and local education systems of which she has dedicated 25 years to Guyana, Jamaica-born Ursuline nun Sister Marie Harper, the first principal of Marian Academy, is now set to retire. Having provided guidance, wisdom and unconditional love to thousands of children who have been in her care over the years, Sister Marie can truly be called the matriarch of Marian Academy.
She told Sunday Stabroek in an interview last week, “Here I am feeling quite satisfied for the years I’ve served Guyana. I thank God for allowing me to do that.
“Because of my religious life I came to understand education better. My religious life gave me a sense of direction and purpose in educating. I realised education was not just giving content, subject matter and information. I was educating for the sake of evangelization, to bring the good news, to enable students to live the good life.”