President George Abela recently paid a visit to St Francis School, Victoria, accompanied by Gozo Minister Anton Refalo and Rosanne Cuschieri from the Secretariat for Catholic Education.

On his arrival he was greeted by Sr Josephine Xuereb, provincial superior of the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus, school head Sr Francesca Abela, assistant head Monique Camilleri as well as the kindergarten pupils of the school and those from the three annexes in Nadur, Xagħra and Qala.

Dr Abela, accompanied by members of the school’s student council, toured the school and was shown an exhibition of pupils’ projects on water conservation, the school’s chapel and the tomb of Mother Margherita de Brincat, foundress of the Franciscan sisters, and recently proclaimed venerable by Pope Francis.

At the school’s gym, the Presdient was greeted by pupils from Years 1 to 6, teachers and learning support assistants.

The pupils presented Dr Abela with a sum of money they had collected in aid of children in need, as well as a memento to mark the occasion.

He later met the nuns in the Franciscan community convent.