School teaches students that lent is about sacrifice

By Nefertiti Matatia 26 March 2018, 12:00AM

The spirit of lent is very much alive at St. Therese Primary School. With only a week left before Easter, the school raised more than $10,000 during their tausala fundraising last week.

School principal, Sister Camillus Tamatimu, said that because Lent is a time of sacrifice, the fundraising was a way of sacrificing a little to help rebuild the school. 

For her it is not about the Easter bunny and Easter eggs, it is worth more than that. It is a sacrifice.

“With this money that we have made, it will also improve the students’ education. There was a competition between manaia and tausala. Everything that they are marked on is the things that they learned in school,” Sister Camillus said. 

“Certain subjects such as religion, social science, basic science, like the interviews that they also had, the questions were drawn from the different subjects that they learn.

“All these things that we are doing here is a sacrifice. This is costing the parents. It is not about dancing and having a good time. It is about having open hands.

“The parents are not donating for anyone else but the welfare of the children. To give the children the opportunity of having a better education,” Sister Camillus said.

She explained: “Every gift that is from God, he wants it to develop. Today (Thursday) the parents are making sacrifices. It is not easy.

“This is the meaning of lent, to sacrifice, to give and to bless someone else. Carrying the cross is not easy.”

Having a tausala also allows the students to understand who they are as Samoans, she says.

“There has been a major change in this time and era we are in. All of these things that we are doing are shaping the students’ lives.

“So when they (students) grow up, they will know where life leads them to next.”

She adds this money will also go to helping the teachers in terms of their pay.

“As many people are aware, the Government does not pay our teachers that are in church schools. 

“This is like a partnership of school and parents to receive the help of parents.” 

Soloi Simeti was one of the parents who were present to witness this significant day for all of the children.

“I feel happy seeing my child dancing but then I was not going to come. The programme was really good. Good on all of the parents who were here today (Thursday) and have given generously to the school.

“Especially there is a project of fixing the school building and it came on the right time and the season of lent that we are in.

“The teachers must be happy that they have received such a huge amount of money to start with the plans they have installed,” she said.

There were eight competitors from four different houses. The teams were Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. 

Destiny Mavaeao, from the house of Mathew, won the tausala, and Peletiso Solofa, from the house of John, won the manaia. 

By Nefertiti Matatia 26 March 2018, 12:00AM

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