Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was reminded of his youthful self while visiting St Aloysius College yesterday, where this snap of him as a student was displayed on the wall. Photo: Chris Sant FournierPrime Minister Joseph Muscat was reminded of his youthful self while visiting St Aloysius College yesterday, where this snap of him as a student was displayed on the wall. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was a quiet pupil who never got punished with an “after-school” but one close brush with the strict discipline prefect of St Aloysius’ College remains etched in his memory.

“It was a hot day in May or June and I did not feel like wearing my undervest,” Dr Muscat told the college’s secondary school students during a visit to his old school yesterday.

He said he initially thought he had got away with it but he was soon singled out by Brother Salvu Mifsud who told him to go back home and return properly dressed. He also gave Dr Muscat an after-school.

“I told him the van had already left, so he told me to catch a bus. Then, I told him I had no money, so he gave me 10c, which in those days would get you very far,” recounted Dr Muscat to his captivated audience, which included Bro. Mifsud.

“I warned him that it would take me a while to get to Burmarrad and back but he insisted that I go. Then, when I left, I realised that it’s not only me who has undervests at home.”

Dr Muscat decided to go round the corner to a friend’s house and asked the boy’s mother to lend him an undervest. Returning 10 minutes later to a surprised prefect, Dr Muscat was asked to explain.

“When I told him what I had done, he said that since I had used my head I no longer had an after-school,” said Dr Muscat to amused students who filled the college’s auditorium.

“These were the best years of my life,” he added, praising the Jesuits for the discipline and respect for others they always imparted to students.

Talking to the Sixth Form students afterwards, Dr Muscat said the Jesuits taught him more about management and financial administration than any course he followed throughout his life.

He was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and a number of fellow old boys from Cabinet and Labour’s parliamentary group: Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia, parliamentary secretaries Josè Herrera and Edward Zammit Lewis and MP Chris Faerne.

They were shown around by the rector, Fr Jimmy Bartolo, who presented Dr Muscat with a framed collage of old school photos. Dr Muscat reciprocated by donating a set of books for the college library.

Fr Bartolo said the school appreciated the Government’s respect towards the identity and autonomy of Church schools and appreciated assurances that they would continue to receive the necessary resources.

He added that the school’s aim was to form “men and women for others”, a point the Prime Minister had made during his speech.

Dr Muscat said his Government was committed to Church, State and independent schools and wanted to ensure that students continued to be treated as individuals, not numbers. Secondary school council president Kyle Schembri and sixth form council president Karl Attard spoke about their pride at attending a college that produced some of the country’s greatest contributors.

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