Old pupils grant to St Joseph’s, Apia, helps pay teachers

Teachers at St Joseph’s College in Apia will benefit after the Marist Old Pupil’s Association presented a cheque for NZD$16,100 to the college.

The president of the association, Peseta Kasiano Ioane, said the cheque, presented earlier this month, is to help out with teachers’ pay.

“We received a request from the school that they needed help with the teachers’ salaries,” he said.

St Joseph’s deputy principal Br Bryan Stanaway acknowledged the support from the association.

It would enable the college to recognise its staff, he said, and enable them to catch up on pay rates for teachers in government schools.

“As you are aware, the teachers have a seven per cent pay rise across the nation,” Br Bryan said.

“We just couldn’t do that until the association came forward and said this is our help towards the staff salaries.”

He said he wasn’t sure the donation would quite cover the pay rise.

But he suggested that the difference could be made up and said the grant made it possible to continue for the rest of the year.

Br Bryan praised St Joseph’s teaching staff for their professionalism, with the school having its best academic results in three years, in terms of students qualifying to attend the National University of Samoa.

The college has 22 full time teachers, plus a secretary and other workers who keep the college running.

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News category: Asia Pacific.

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