Press Release Nov 17, 2003

Samoa College Celebrates Golden Jubilee

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture and the school, SCOPA is planning a big celebration of the 50th anniversary of the school on the 10th, 11th, and 12th December. Beginning with the launching of the history of Samoa College on the 10th, the celebrations include a formal ceremony at the school on Thursday 11th, preceded by a march along the streets of Apia. Thursday events also include a lotu, the Golden Jubilee address by the Prime Minister, address by the current SCOPA President, inspection of school displays, some entertainment, and will conclude with a luncheon. Friday 12th will be a SCOPA day starting with a remembrance church service, then the groundbreaking ceremony for the multipurpose hall, then a mafutaga of all SCOPA branches until lunchtime. The celebration is drawing SCOPA groups from American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, and Savaii to join with SCOPA Samoa, based on Upolu. Many former staff and students from other countries such as the USA, Fiji, Canada, and Tokelau have confirmed their attendance. The celebrations will culminate with the Jubilee ball to be held at the Hotel Kitano Tusitala on Friday evening. 

To commemorate this major anniversary, SCOPA projects are in full swing: the history of the school has been compiled and is now at the printers, comprising over 500 pages and about as many photographs; the fence along the front of the school is being re-built, and construction of the multipurpose hall that has been at the forefront of the SCOPA activities in 2002-2003 will be started on Friday 12th December. 

In July this year, gearing up to the celebration, SCOPA launched a website at the address www.scopa.ws . The site has information about the programme in December, the history project and the lists of entrants compiled by the history team, the multipurpose hall project, notices from SCOPA Samoa, Samco NZ, and other SCOPA-ites living overseas. The site has had several thousand hits since it was launched. Much positive feedback has been received, particularly about the lists of entrants and many amendments have been made based on this feedback.

Recently, a well-attended special general meeting was held at the Hotel Kitano, providing the opportunity for the general membership to have an input to the plans for the celebrations. Issues such as the lotu on the each of the three days, the uniform that is to be worn, and how the march is organized, were debated at length. Another special general meeting will be held on Tuesday November 18th, again at the Tusitala hotel, at 5.00pm.

View of the main Samoa College building from the eastern corner
 of the main terrace