Balancing trusted values with modern needs

What do such diverse characters as Ira Losco, Censu Tabone and Joe Debono Grech have in common? They all attended St Aloysius' College, that venerable secondary school which today marks its 100th anniversary.

Though the Jesuits have a connection with Malta that goes back much further, it was only on October 8, 1907 that they founded St Aloysius' College, in Birkirkara, on the request of Pope St Pius X.

The Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, will take part in the centenary celebrations.

Fr Patrick Magro, who for the past five years has been the college rector, shoulders a big burden. The day-to-day running of a school with a population of 1,100 students, 130 teachers and several support staff may sound like more than enough for one person to have on his plate. But, Fr Magro has another difficult task: That of shaping the school's vision.

"This is strictly my duty here and, while I have a bird's eye view of what is going on, I feel I have to do my best so that the college, which has such a long history, not only merely continues to survive but grows and continues to excel," Fr Magro said.

Jesuit schools have a common vision and their heads meet annually to discuss their ideas. But rectors have to take into consideration their local context.

"In a nutshell, we lay emphasis on three aspects: The academic, where students are taught subjects as well as how to think; social awareness, where students have to do community work with the elderly and other odd jobs that makes them realise that there are people who need help; and the spiritual and pastoral aspect that helps in one's character formation."

For the past three years, the college had run a special programme in which the students are assessed individually twice a month to identify any problems that may arise.

"Some students might be a bit slow and need more coaching. Others can have special or individual problems and would need other forms of help. One can never do this to perfection, but we do our best."

It's 9.30 a.m. when the interview takes place and you can hear a pin drop in the interludes between the questions and his answers. All the students are in class; no running about in the corridors. The college is also well known for its discipline.

"There may be a number of misconceptions about this," Fr Magro said. "We are not draconian here. But it's not a matter of anything goes either. We try to imbibe a measure of self-discipline in students. I think many of today's youths lack a sense of respect to authority, and that creates problems later on in life.

"There are simple things we enforce. Children have to stand up and say good morning to their teacher when these enter the classroom. Earrings on male students are out and no one is allowed to come to school wearing what they had been wearing on Sunday night in Paceville. I've sent students home to change because of this. They may not like it, but when they get a summer job at a bank or with another institution, they realise they can't go to work with spiked hair or wearing a mini-dress. So this norm is what we practise in here."

He feels that a very positive aspect in today's youth is that many are outspoken and are willing to discuss issues that only a few years ago were taboo.

The college holds seminars on alcohol, drugs and health- and sex-related issues from Form III onwards.

"We inform parents what we will speak to their children about and we often are asked why we are doing this because some parents don't discuss these things with their children. But we work with parents and show them that their children don't live in glass domes, isolated from the problems that surround everyone else."

The school's sixth form is very popular and there is a big demand for it. From the academic point of view, the college boasts a virtually 100 per cent success rate.

As the University chaplain, Fr Jimmy Bartolo, teaches at Form VI, the college forms groups called Christian Life Community at that level and this helps create a bridge from Form VI to University life.

There is also a lot of emphasis on sport. Starting two years ago, students in Form I have been able to specialise in particular sports at the expense of one of the additional languages studied by others.

"Any student can stay on after school at our sports complex to practise a sport," Fr Magro said.

The college is investing heavily in IT and will soon be launching a web portal where circulars and other college-related activities and information will be posted. The portal will be aptly called Polanko, after the secretary of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits.

"Polanko was entrusted with the responsibility of keeping in touch with Jesuits around the world and it's opportune to name our portal in his honour.

"We will give students an e-mail address and parents will be able to log on and see circulars, results and whatever they need to know."

The college has a wireless internet system and students are encouraged to use PDAs and laptops.

"We urge students to keep abreast of technology. We must also move away from the idea that one has to become a doctor or a lawyer to succeed."

A statue of St Aloysius carrying a sick person was unveiled on Saturday at the entrance of the college. St Aloysius died after contracting the plague while helping others.

"The statue is full of symbolism. If our students get it into their heads that we are here to help others, we will have a better society and will have achieved our mission," he said.

Past pupils who would like to get in touch with the college and receive information regarding the centenary events, can send an e-mail to centenary@saintaloysius.edu.mt.