Fr Erasmus a leader among scholars

04 Feb 2013

By Robert Hiini

Fr Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty at his graduation from Edith Cowan University.

A Perth-based priest has been awarded for his outstanding scholarship in doctoral studies, graduating with highest honours from Edith Cowan University.

Fr Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty, a Ghanaian priest from the Diocese of Yendi,  completed his doctorate in educational leadership late last year after almost four years of study.

Dr Norviewu-Mortty was awarded the Lawrence McGrath prize for outstanding scholarship at an ECU graduation ceremony on January 19 at the Perth Convention Centre.

The priest’s thesis investigated what principles and strategies set successful schools apart, studying schools in disadvantaged rural areas in Ghana. He selected four disadvantaged schools catering for students in years 7-9 in the same area; the two best performing and the two worst performing schools.

“I wanted to see what [the best performing schools] were doing and what the [lesser performing] schools were doing, without blaming their failure on their lack of resources,” Dr Norviewu-Mortty told The Record last week.

The four government schools featured in his thesis each received the same amount of state funding.

The findings of his study will be summarised at length in a future edition of The Record. Dr Norviewu-Mortty was sent to the Archdiocese of Perth specifically to further the efforts of the Yendi diocese to sustain teachers in its area.

In addition to serving university students in his capacity as ECU Joondalup’s Catholic Chaplain, Fr Norviewu-Mortty has also been fundraising for a teachers training college.

Generous donations from Perth Catholics and others have enabled the diocese to build a three-class room structure up to roof level. Father will stay in Perth for two more years to fundraise.