Saint Mary’s College hosted their inaugural market day on Friday at the school’s Vaimoso compound which also formed part of the students’ school assessments.

The market has the students of the college sell different varieties of food, pot plants, arts, and second-hand clothes to raise money for their retreat at the end of the year.

“Today’s event is to train students to become successful business people in the future,” the Head Prefect of the college, Campaign Fidow, told the Samoa Observer.

“It’s really educational, in a way that should use our talents towards marketing, pricing and re-sorting on goods and second-hand clothes.”

Ms. Fidow said that there are four teams or houses involved in this event: Marcellin-Orleans, Alfred-Deporres, Dieter-Aquinas and Darnard-Avila.

“Each [...] are selling different varieties of food and garage sales which contain second-hand clothes,” she said.

“For our senior class, the money that we get from today’s event we will add in our fundraising money.”

The Faculty of Education at the National University of Samoa, together with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture attached a new program for Business studies called Enterprise for classes in forms 3 and 4.  

The Principal of Saint Mary’s College, Lepetiaina Sina Fitu, told the Samoa Observer that the day is to prepare students for new changes starting next year. 

“There will be a four years pathway [... starting for…] students who are in form 3 in 2021, will start,” she said. 

The Principal added that the money collected from their market day will fund students’ retreats at the end of the year.

“Whatever money the students collect at the end of the day, it will be receipted and [deposited into a bank account],” she said. 

“This money will fund students’ retreats and function at the end of the year.

"Saint Mary's College will also use the money [... toward the St. Mary’s Old Girls’ Association] S.M.O.G.A. golf tournament 2021 to support Saint Mary's Old Girls association.”