On Monday 23rd September 2024, a student of College was seriously injured in an altercation between the students of St Joseph’s College and Maluafou College in Apia. Almost two weeks prior on 12th September, a fight had also taken place in town which was started when students of Maluafou College stoned a bus carrying students of St Joseph’s College.
We as the Board of Governance for St. Joseph’s College, are extremely disappointed with the actions of a few students of the College which did not meet the expectations of conduct typically upheld at our Marist school.
The Marist Brothers’ Governance Board takes full responsibility for the unacceptable behaviour of the students involved which have again tarnished the good name of the College. We sincerely apologise to the general public and to Maluafou College, and in particular, the student who was injured during the altercation.
Following St Joseph’s College 4 year ban from all sports earlier this year, the College strengthened its Code of Conduct for Students and put in place new policies relating to discipline. This was done with the assistance of the Board, a consultant and members of the Marist Old Pupils Association.
We are confident these measure and policies are the right ones and will strengthen discipline within the College. However, these latest incidents show that it will take time for these measures to be instilled in the students and to change the prevailing culture of the College. A full investigation is currently being conducted and the Board reviewing methods to make the policies more effective.
The incumbent principal has tendered his resignation, which the Board has accepted.
As part of this latest review, the Board has resolved to appoint Br Kevin O’Malley (who has returned from a short break overseas) as Acting Principal of St Joseph’s College until a new Principal is appointed. The process to recruit a new principal started in July 2024, with shortlisting about to be conducted.
Br Kevin had spent many years in Samoa and was also a former principal of St Joseph’s College for many years. Aside from being principal, he will review, oversee and strongly enforce the measures relating to discipline at the College.
He will be supported by the members of the Marist Brothers Old Pupils Association who are all deeply hurt and embarrassed by the recent incidents; particularly during this time as they mourn the passing of their Vice President, Leituala Joseph Chan Ting.
We humbly call upon the parents, supporters and public for your patience and support as we work our way through these issues to ensure these incidents are not repeated.
In the manner of Mary,
…………………………………………………….
Tuatagaloa Aumua Ming Leung Wai
CHAIRMAN, MARIST BROTHERS GOVERNANCE BOARD
FA’ATOESEGA FA’ALAUA’ITELE : KOLISI A SAGATO IOSEFO
O le a fata ia i mauga o ao ma le atu folasa ou paia sausaugata Samoa auā o oe o le aomamala. I le afua mai i le oneone lē ufitia se’ia paia le ala o le fafā. Tulou, tulou, tulouna lava!
Ae ua o matou toe uia fo’i lenei ala ona o le māasiasi, ae e lē tuua ai lo matou tiute faamatua-faitama e alofa, e faatonutonu ma tumu i le faaaloalo. Ua sa’o ai upu a le tatou Gagana “E a ulu tafega ae selefutia ai vaisigano”. E pei e faigofie i nisi o fanau ona faaali le malosi i nofoaga faitele, ae galo ai le to’atele o i latou e aafia uma ona o a latou amio lē taupulea. O le upu moni ua tele finagalo ua faaalia ua manino mai ai le o’oo’o ma le loloto o le tigā ma le mafatia o le atunuu i amioga le taupulea a nisi o tama o le Kolisi a Sagato Iosefo ma nisi o le Kolisi o Maluafou i le taulaga.
O le Aso Gafua 23 o Setema sa faaoo ai ni manu’a tūgă i se tama a’oga a le Kolisi o Maluafou mai ni tama a’oga a le Kolisi a Sagato Iosefo i le taulaga i Apia. Ae pe tusa ma le 2 vaiaso o muamua atu, i le Aso 12 o Setema sa tula’i mai ai fo’i se fe’ese’esea’iga i le va lava o tama o le Kolisi a Sagato Iosefo ma tama o le Kolisi a Maluafou ina ua tau’ai e tama Maluafou le pasi oloo ō atu ai tama Sagato Iosefo.
O amio lē taupulea a nisi o tama a’oga a Sagato Iosefo ua lē ōgatasi ma amio pūlea, ma aga tausili o loo tapu’e ma aoaoina i totonu o Aoga a le Malisi. O le mea lea e fa’ato’ese atu ai le Fono Faatonu o A’oga a le Malisi i le pa’ia o Samoa ona o amioga lē taupulea a nisi o le fanau a’oga. Matou te asu atu vaimalu i pu’ega i o outou finagalo ona o le vaivai ma le lē pulea o amio a nisi o le fanau. Matou te fa’ato’ese atu fo’i i lē sa faamanu’aina aemaise matua ma aiga. O le matou tatalo ia alofagia e le Atua, ina ia toe faafoisia le malosi o le atalii ma maua pea e matua, aiga ma Samoa atoa le manuia ma le filemu o le Alii.
Ina ua fa’asala le Kolisi o Sagato Iosefo mo le 4 tausaga mai taaloga uma a a’oga i le amataga o lenei tausaga, sa faatino ai loa le galuega e toe faamalosia ma toe tapu’e le Tulafono o Amio Pulea i totonu o le a’oga ma toe lauliliu Faigafaavae e fasala ai i latou e solia Tulafono o le Amio Pulea. O lea galuega sa faatino e sui o le Fono Faatonu ma se konesale faapea fo’i tama ma teine tuai.
Pagā lea, o le toe tula’i mai ai o le fevesia’iga a tama a’oga i le taulaga ua faaali manino mai ai e le’o lelei ma maua’a le faatinoga o suiga sa fa’ata’oto mo le pulea lelei o amio a fanau a’oga i le A’oga a Sagato Iosefo.
O le mafuaga lea ua tofia ai loa e le Fono Faatonu, le Alii Felela ia Br Kevin O’Malley e avea ma Pule Lē tumau o le Kolisi o Sagato Iosefo. Ae ua faamavae mai le Alii Pule ma ua taliaina fo’i e le Fono Faatonu.
O le Afioga ia Br Kevin o se tasi fo’i ua loa tausaga o galue i Samoa nei. Sa pule fo’i i le Kolisi o Sagato Iosefo mo tausaga e tele. Ua iloga fo’i lona tula’i mai e faamalosia ma faatino amio pulea ma aga faakerisiano i totonu o a’oga a felela Malisi.
Ua nofo sauni fo’i le Asosi a Tama ma Teine Tuai a le Malisi, e ui ina faatumulia i le māasiasi ona o lenei fo’i fe’ese’esea’iga ua toe tula’i mai, ma tumu i le faanoanoa ona o le amia e le Atua o le latou Sui Peresitene, ae e lē faavaivai ai lo latou lagolago malosi i le Afioga ia Br Kevin ma le A’oga e pele ia i latou.
Fai mai le mau masani a le tatou atunuu, e leai lava se faiva e le ‘asa ma se maumau. O le mea lea matou te tatalo atu ai i matua, uo ma paaga masani a le Kolisi o Sagato Iosefo ae maise fo’i le mamalu o si o tatou atunuu, ina ia mau pea le toovae, le onosa’i ma la outou lagolago a’o feagai le Kolisi o Sagato Iosefo ma suiga fou i lenei taimi faigatā.
Faafetai i lo outou finagalo malamalama.
Ona o le fautua tatalo a le Tinā Paia o Maria.
………………………………………………….
Tuatagaloa Aumua Ming Leung Wai
TA’ITA’IFONO, FONO FAATONU O A‘OGA A LE MALISI I SAMOA