IMMACULATE HEART COLLEGE, TABORIO, TARAWA, REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI, 1955-2005

IMMACULATE HEART COLLEGE, TABORIO, TARAWA, REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI, 1955-2005
The Importance Of Accurate School Records In Highlighting Students' Achievements, Cognitive Development And For Ongoing Genealogical Research

As a Pacific Islander, Jane felt most fortunate in having attended Immaculate Heart College for some years before continuing her education in Sydney, Australia. Like many of her fellow students, Jane has many happy and most wonderful recollections of this time. It is her great pleasure to be able to share one of them with you all (in her own words as per one of her monthly Newsletters of 2005) in addition to her own current observations:

"It was such a marvellous experience that brought about my humble belief in the importance of live theatre, including singing and dancing, in the preservation of the cultural identity of people worldwide.

The experience came about when I was selected by my fellow students and staff to play the lead role (Abu Hassan) in the dramatic play: "ABU HASSAN PAYS HIS DEBTS'. It was a play built very much around the central role of Abu Hassan, and one that received popular acclaim throughout the Republic of Kiribati and Tuvalu, as well as neighbouring islands and beyond. Critical reports indicated that the role of the supposedly dead Abu had been played with such dramatic effect "that made the staff recognize the importance of drama in the teaching and improving of English. From then on the teachers always tried to have it as part of the curriculum'."

Jane thinks that it is very important to remember that live theatre is something that should always be encouraged as a learning experience, a form of entertainment and, perhaps more importantly, as a teaching medium and the means of preserving the cultural heritage of us all.

* * * * *

September 2005 was the Golden Jubilee of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati. 'A book entitiled: RECTA SAPERE - The story of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, 1955-2005, was prepared, presented and distributed by a former non-I-Kiribati student of Immaculate Heart College, from the island of Nanumea, Tuvalu, who is now a nun or Sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, based at Teaoraereke, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati. The book was intended to provide a true representation of the history and achievements of Immaculate Heart College and was launched as part of the Golden Jubilee'.

The Latin RECTA SAPERE is "TO RELISH WHAT IS RIGHT' and, to be able to do this, one has "to know what is right". The school motto: RECTA SAPERE was later changed to "SEEK TRUTH" which was incorporated into the school logo.

Most disappointingly and very sadly, the book - ...The Story of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, 1955-2005, outlining the history and achievements of Immaculate Heart College, does not give an accurate record of many of the aspects of Immaculate Heart College during the period 1955-2005, including, among other things, Jane's part in playing the role of Abu Hassan which was incorrectly and deliberately given to someone else. Even her scholarship to complete her secondary education at St. Scholastica's College, Glebe Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was deliberately taken off the record altogether.

Indeed, at most, it is a very poor record of Immaculate Heart College and the many outstanding and gifted students who attended Immaculate Heart College during this time. It contains errors that are so numerous that the same document will have to be completely researched and rewritten to provide a factual representation of the history and achievements of Immaculate Heart College along with the role played by many former students and staff during this period. The extent to which these errors result from inaccurate and distorted information or from an attempt by the author to undermine the achievements of prominent students is now under investigation. However, this whole matter raises many questions about the honesty, credibility and integrity that are central to the preparation of this document.

In this context, Jane's other concerns, and the concerns of many other former students relate to several gross inaccuracies in this book. Indeed, in their Kiribati (along with other islands and countries) customs, these things reflect very badly on them all including their dear families, extended families, the government of Kiribati and Tuvalu (who were responsible for their scholarships, education and achievements during that period of time), as well as their many friends and associates all of whom know the truth. Certainly, this also raises questions about the possible existence of jealousy, revenge and vindictiveness on behalf of the author of this document. In this respect, Jane is now looking at a positive step in rectifying a very serious situation of errors which, if not corrected, in the Kiribati (and normal) way, will go on and on, and be discussed and disputed for generations to come - there will be no end to it until it is corrected.

Many of the former students feel that they have been badly treated, robbed, denied and cheated in this document in such a manner that causes them considerable distress and will no doubt cause distress in their families for generations to come. Certainly, a considerable effort needs to be applied to correct this appalling book which has now been brought forward by the same non-I-Kiribati author (Sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) from the island of Nanumea, Tuvalu, into a Master's thesis and presented to the University of the South Pacific (USP), Suva, Fiji - and seek the truth according to the Immaculate Heart College (Taborio, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati) motto: SEEK TRUTH.*

Jane's comments, above, are not intended to reflect, in a general sense, upon the integrity of the rest of the former and present staff (at Immaculate Heart College) who have certainly done and still continue to do so much to bring, among so many other beneficial and important things, higher education and good Christian values to their students and the wonderful people of the Republic of Kiribati (and elsewhere). Sadly and unfortunately, it only takes the actions of one or two former staff, in this case, to impact adversely upon the good names of Immaculate Heart College as well as those of the many former students and former staff who have been badly treated, denied, robbed and cheated of their good names and achievements. Let us hope that Immaculate Heart College and its present staff continue with their good work and seek truth in order to forever erase and correct these (and future) unfortunate injustices.

*NOTICE!

It is very pleasing to be able to report now that, on 25th May 2010, after high level and most understanding representations on my behalf and on behalf of my fellow former students and staff of my former college, Immaculate Heart College, that several corrections to the multitude of errors in the abovementioned document, via telephone, have now been most reluctantly put into place. This telephone advice from the Catholic Archive at Teaoraereke, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati, will, hopefully, (and I do mean 'hopefully') be followed by a requested written confirmation. This is the first and most difficult step of the many steps necessary to correct the multitide of very serious errors still present in this document on behalf of the many former students and staff of Immaculate Heart College who were badly treated and cheated by the same Tuvaluan nun who was the author of "RECTA SAPERE - The Story of Immaculate Heart College, Taborio, 1955-2005".

As a result of all the above, I think that it is very important to remember that it is worth persevering, at all times, in the belief that when we seek truth, the truth will always untimately prevail and we will be successful and triumphant in the end. Thanks be to God!

.....Jane Resture
Posted by Jane Resture at 3:04 PM 1 comments