St Aloysius College to have first woman as rector in institution's history
Maria Montebello will be the first lay head of the Jesuit school
St Aloysius College has announced the appointment of Maria Montebello as its first lay rector.
She will be the first woman to occupy the post, succeeding Fr Jimmy Bartolo who held the role for 12 years.
The announcement was made in a Facebook post by Charles Bonello, chairperson of the St Aloysius College Board.
Dr Montebello assumes office on September 1.
She has held several senior positions in government schools and is presently head of the St. Ignatius College, Prof Edward de Bono Ħandaq Middle School. She was previously the head of school at St Benedict College, Safi, Primary School and earlier assistant head of school at St Benedict College, Ghaxaq, Primary School.
"These long years in leadership have provided Dr Montebello with first-hand expertise in school development, policy implementation, inclusive practices, cultural adaptation and strategic leadership," St Aloysius said.
The college board wished Fr Jimmy well in his new mission as Secretary for Education of the Society of Jesus.
St Aloysius College is one of Malta's oldest Church schools, run by the Jesuit Order. It started the process to become a co-ed school in 2018 having previously been a boys' school.
The school announced in February that it was advertising for the role of rector, saying the call was open to “laypersons, diocesan priests and members of the religious congregation”.
St Aloysius's list of alumni includes more than half of Malta's prime ministers since independence: Eddie Fenech Adami, Lawrence Gonzi, Joseph Muscat and Robert Abela. Former presidents Anton Buttigieg, Vincent Tabone and Guido de Marco also attended the college.
Despite Fr Bartolo’s departure, the Jesuits’ presence in the school will continue.
The Jesuit Order rightly prides itself on having pioneered higher education in Malta.
The Jesuits have been at the forefront of education in Malta. In 1592, the order founded its revolutionary Collegium Melitense, Valletta, which eventually, in 1769, morphed into a fully-fledged university, claimed to be the oldest in the British Empire outside Britain.