44-year-old laywoman Susitina Maletino Levao replaces Br Bryan Stanaway, who resigned for medical reasons last year.

A mother of one child, Ms Levao has a long history with the college dating back more than two decades to when she was among the first-ever group of girls to enrol in 1993 at Year 13.

She first joined the teaching staff of the College in 1999, working her way up to the senior management team of the college.

Levao was head of the science department; Dean of Year 10; prize-giving coordinator and mentor/facilitator for junior teachers and President of Zone B's Association of School Presidents.

By January 2017, she was the school deputy Principal. In May she inherited the duties of acting principal when Br Stanaway left.

Levao has a Bachelor of Science degree (major in Chemistry & Biology), University of the South Pacific; a Diploma in Education, National University of Samoa, and Secondary Trained Teachers' Certificate (Ministry of Education, Sport & Culture).

The Chairman of the Governance Board of Marist Brothers' Schools, Aumua Ming Leung Wai, said the board is confident that Ms. Levao will be able to improve St Joseph's College so that it can become a ‘school of excellence' which is its vision for the college.

"Ms Levao is very committed, understands the Marist charism and has the necessary teaching and management experience for the role of Principal. We wish her all the best with her appointment," he said.

"I'm happy and thankful for the appointment," Levao told the Sunday Samoan.

"But I am mostly grateful to the Board of the Marist Brothers for believing in me and putting their trust in me.

"My plans for the next three years of my contract will be to look into the academic wellbeing of students, not only in education, but spiritually too because the mission of the school is to help teach our children the right path.

"But I will work on maintaining the high standards of the school academically and in sports too.

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• Sunday Samoan
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Brother Siaosi Ioane has been appointed principal of Marist Brothers' Primary School, Mulivai for 2017 - 2019.

He is no stranger to this position as he was the principal of Marist Primary from 2000 to 2002.

Aside from postings overseas, Br. Siaosi was also the principal of St. Joseph's College and Ulimasao College.

Br. Siaosi is Samoan and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Br. Bryan Stanaway has been appointed the principal of St Joseph's College.

He has been at St. Joseph's College for several years now as its Deputy Principal.

In the middle of this year, Br. Bryan was appointed acting principal of St. Joseph's and later principal.

Br. Bryan is of Maori descent and is a registered teacher in New Zealand who has vast educational experience having taught at schools in New Zealand and the Pacific for 50 years.

The Marist Brothers' schools have produced many leaders for Samoa, both past and current.

The current Head of State, Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament, Chief Justice and Controller and Auditor General, are all former students of Marist Brothers' schools.

The Marist Brothers also introduced the sports of rugby and boxing to Samoa.

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• samoaobserver.ws
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Lavin is a member of the Marist Brothers (FMS).

He replaces Brother Siaosi Ioane.

Lavin has a bachelor's degree in anthropology, English and history from the University of Auckland, a master's degree in religious education from the Australian Catholic University and a bachelor's degree in theology from the Sydney College of Divinity.

He has trained in adult education at the Manukau Institute of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand.

Lavin has been a teacher for 39 years, 21 of them spent in Samoa.

Brother Bryan Stanaway will continue as the deputy principal.

The Marist Brothers arrived in Samoa in 1871 but left six years later due to civil unrest.

They returned in 1888 and established a primary school at Mulivai, Apia.

This school celebrates 125 years in 2013.

St Joseph's College was established as a high school in 1950 at the Mulivai property.

It transferred to Lotopa in 1960 when it became a college and moved to its present site at Alafua in 1989.

The brothers have also worked in American Samoa, beginning an elementary school in 1905 and a high school in 1969.

The brothers withdrew from American Samoa in 1991.

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The Club came into existence when the two Marist clubs, namely Marist Rugby Club and St Joseph's Rugby Club, decided to merge in 1970.

Following its merger, the Club has contributed to the development of rugby in Samoa through the many players who have gone on to play for Manu Samoa and in the Club's annual Vailima Marist International Sevens Rugby Tournament which it has successfully hosted for 27 years now.

Players who attended Marist schools in Samoa who went on to play for the All Blacks include John Schuster, Sosene Anesi and most recently Nepo Laulala.

Inaugural players included the likes of Felise Vito, Aki Ripley, Iafeta Ekeroma, Ioane Sinuki Melei, George Meredith, Jimmy Fruean, Ricky McFall, Peter Schuster, Lino Passi, Norman McDonald, Rudy David, Gordan Bartley, Steve Stanley, Herbert Clarke (Manager), Petelo Lepou, Eneliko Ah Voo, Jeffrey Atoa, George Stowers, Henry Penn, Maligi Sefo and Maluelue Tafua. Most of them later represented Samoa in the international arena of rugby.

Other well-known players include Brian Lima, Toleafoa brothers (Leamy, Kalolo, Aleki and Michael), David Lemi, Peter Fatialofa, Etuale Sefo, Malaki Iupeli, Sila Vaifale, Lio Falaniko, Afato Sooalo, George Stowers, Tuilagi brothers (Feleti, Henry, Alesana, Anitelea and Vavae), Langkilde twins (Lalovi and Laulala), Kapisi brothers (Ene and Paniani), Palamo brothers (Mefi, Toetu, Arona and Nikotemo), Ulia Ulia, Henry Williams, Afa Aiono, Ofisa Treviranus, Uale Ma'i, Faatoina Autagavaia and Maurie Faasavalu amongst others who all played for Manu Samoa.

The prime minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi gave his blessings to Marist St Joseph's Sports Club, Inc's 45th Anniversary Celebrations following a meeting with the Club's President and Executive Committee earlier this week.

Tuilaepa is one of the patrons of the Club and delivered the keynote address at the anniversary celebration's launch on Thursday.

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The principals of Avele and St. Joseph's Colleges met last Friday in an effort to find a solution.

Last Thursday fighting broke out after a school rugby match at the Saint Joseph's grounds at Alafua.

None of the current students from either colleges were involved in Thursday's brawl.

This is not the first time that Avele and St Joseph's Colleges have been involved in fights in public places.

Several years ago, the Government stepped in and stopped all inter-school sporting competitions when the fighting got worse.

A female student was seriously burnt when a kerosene bomb was thrown at the crowd during the fight at a public bus station.

The principals of both colleges today expressed sadness over Thursday's incident and have vowed to work together in ending what they called "this longstanding sickness".

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• Talamua
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Police Superintendent Lemalu Su'a Muliaga Tiumalu confirmed the charges last Thursday.

The five students have all been expelled from school after the video clip was circulated on social media.

The incident has been condemned by members of the public and the school and Catholic Education acted swiftly and expelled the students involved.

Director of Catholic Schools Aeau Chris Hazelman told the media after the incident that the church does not tolerate bullying in schools and a decision to expel the students was supported by the church.

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• Talamua
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The video, posted on Facebook, showing a St. Joseph's College student being beaten by another student while other students look on, has gone viral.

They are also likely to face police charges.

The Director of Catholic Schools, A'eau Chris Hazelman, said that this is the second time such an incident has occurred at the school.

Because of this, "we are taking the matter further".

"We have met with the Police and they are investigating it".

A'eau said the incident is disappointing but "the matter is beyond our control and that is why we have decided to refer it to police".

"We have identified all of the boys in the video and the principal has contacted the parents of these students who were expelled today".

A'eau recalled that, after the first incidence of a similar video going viral online three years ago, immediate action was taken with expulsion.

"There was also a student handbook of which there were two rules that clearly points to zero tolerance on bullying and if it happens it would mean immediate expulsion".

"There was also another policy that we drew up regarding social media, that any pictures or videos that shows students in school, during school time and in school uniform that is doing harm to a student or will place the school in a negative light will get automatic expulsion".

Samoan teenagers aged 13-15 are among the most bullied and most violent youth in East Asia and the Pacific, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (U.N.I.C.E.F.).

A report released last year by the Agency, titled "Hidden In Plain Sight: A statistical analysis of violence against children," reveals that almost three quarters of Samoan youth have experienced bullying, while more than two thirds have reported being in a physical fight.

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• Samoa Observer
• Samoa Observer
• Samoa Observer
• Radio New Zealand International
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He made this comment following a brawl between Avele and St Joseph's colleges in Apia on Tuesday.

The clash - involving a number of students scrapping and throwing rocks and bottles - took place at the bus depot behind the flea market at around 2.30 in the afternoon. Several cars were damaged as Police and firemen struggled to control the melee.

"Samoa only has to look at Singapore as an example of how corporal punishment works," Tuilaepa said.

"Singapore allows the administering of corporal punishment by the State and that country has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. So obviously they must be doing something right."

Five students have been charged by Police for fighting at a public bus stop causing injury to a father of Maagiagi and also injured two students of Saint Joseph's College who were sitting at the bus stop when the fighting started.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Leaupepe Fatu Pula confirmed that one of the students facing charges is from the National University of Samoa, who is an ex-student of SJC.

Leaupepe also confirmed that four other students from Saint Josephs College between the ages of 15-17 year old have been charged.

Source

• SavaliNews.com
• Talamua
• Talamua
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The allegations were made and then withdrawn when he was working at the University of the South Pacific, but he was "let go".

Director of Catholic Education Aeau Chris Hazelman said they were only made aware of the allegations against the man on last Tuesday.

The man was a former staff member at the University of the South Pacific but was "let go" following allegations "of a sexual nature" leveled against him by female USP students. The Samoa Observer understands that a complaint has been lodged with the Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG).

President of the organization, Lina Chang confirmed that the complaint lodged with them is of a sexual harassment nature but she declined to discuss the details.

She said there had been allegations against him by students, mainly girls, but these were withdrawn.

USP interim Campus Director, Leatuaolevao Ruby Va'a confirmed that he was a staff member at the university "but he was never a teacher." She declined to confirm exactly whether the complaints from students were of sexual harassment. She said it was unfortunate that they were not given the chance to investigate.

"So we ended up with allegations," she said adding that they were "very serious."

A complaint was also not filed with the Police.

Source

• The Samoa Observer
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