ST JOSEPH SCHOOL, KUCHING, SARAWAK
ST JOSEPH SCHOOL, KUCHING, SARAWAK
The first band of four St. Joseph’s Missionaries (or the Mill Hill Fathers) came to Sarawak in 1881. They were the Very Reverend Father Thomas Jackson, Reverend Fathers E. Dunn, A. Gossens and Daniel Kilty. The following year, in April 1882, they started a school to provide basic education, knowing that education is an important factor in the building of a nation. This first Catholic missionary school in Sarawak was appropriately named St. Joseph’s School, later to be known as SK & SMK St. Joseph Kuching.
In the early 1960s, SK and SMK St. Joseph became part of the Malaysian Government-aided School system and the school management was slowly taken by Malaysian Education Ministry.
Steeped in tradition, the school has two chapels, one in the ground floor of Mill Hill Block, and another in the first floor of Mill Hill Block, adjacent to the Brothers' Residence. Keeping to the school motto of Ora et Labora (work and prayer), daily prayers are held before class and in assembly.
The school also observes major Catholic holidays. In the spirit of tolerance, while the Catholic students attend mass in St Joseph's Cathedral, students of other religions and Christian denominations are allowed to perform their own prayers according to their religion.
The school's brass band was among the fist brass bands in Sarawak and the first for a school. The school also represented Sarawak in the Empire Games (precursor to the Commonwealth Games) and is also among the few in Malaysia that has a rugby team.
Among the more famous alumni and former students of St Joseph are Pehin Sri Abdul Taib bin Mahmud, YB Tan Sri Peter Chin Fah Kui, Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam & several prominent communities leaders.
ORA ET LABORA
