Saint Mary's College is mourning the loss of longtime educationist and former Principal Loretta Enoka Ulugia who passed away last Thursday after a long illness. 

The late Mrs Ulugia, 60, clocked close to 40 years with the college at Vaimoso, including stints as a teacher, vice-principal and principal on top of her early years as a former student.

The college’s current Principal Sina Fitu told the Samoa Observer that they were saddened at her passing as she planned to return to the college after finishing her contract this year as principal of Ah Mu Academy.

“From 1983 to 2016, Loretta has been working for this school. She may have been away for two or three years [from 2016] but she always returns to us,” said Ms Fitu.

“Just by looking at all these reports, Loretta may have served this college for about 40 years as a staff member. 

“Before she was called home we met recently and she mentioned that this year will be the end of her contract with Ah Mu Academy."

The family of the late educationist told the Samoa Observer on Thursday that funeral arrangements are being finalised and Mrs Ulugia passed on after losing her battle with breast cancer.

According to Ms Fitu, the college had already planned to get her to teach two subjects upon her return and added that while she worked full-time at Ah Mu, she always checked on her former colleagues.

“She [late Mrs Ulugia] told me, after she serves her contract with Ah Mu she will return to St Mary's, because she goes to Ah Mu but her heart is always with the school. 

“During her time at Ah Mu she keeps calling and checking up on us and she even visits us here in the compound.

"And she told me that every time she comes, she looks at Mary's image in the center welcoming her every day, and she feels like Mary was calling for her to come back. 

“Even though she passed away while she wasn't here with us, we still appreciate her work for the many years that she served and had worked with us. 

“We are preparing something for her and to honor her in her final moments with us."

Based on a report compiled by Sr Rose P. McAloon – who was the Saint Mary's College Principal when the late educationist was in high school – Mrs Ulugia attended the college from 1975-78 doing her Forms 3-6 and sat her New Zealand School Certificate examination in 1977 and the New Zealand University Entrance exam in 1978.

She then attended the Western Samoa Secondary Teachers College and after graduation with a teacher's certificate she returned to Vaimoso as a staff member to teach for four years from 1983-86.

Ms Fitu said she was a Form Lower 5 class teacher during those years and also did some part-time courses to upskill herself. 

Sr Rose, the college principal at that time, was impressed with the work ethic of the late Mrs Ulugia and described that in a correspondence.

"Loretta has been a valuable member of the staff here. She is a conscientious worker and is cooperative and dedicated. She is honest, and reliable and neat in her appearance and work. She has a pleasant personality and relates well to other people," reads Sr Rose's letter.

Miss Fitu said various other reports penned by other St Mary’s College principals confirmed how involved she was with the college’s activities for so long at that time.

"The next report is from the other principal Sr Malia Rosalia Mulipola 1991-1995 and Loretta was Vice-Principal at the time. 

“Then Sr Pelenatete Peni took over the school in 1996-1999 while Loretta continued to be the Vice-Principal which means her role as a Vice-Principal started from 1991-1999.

"Then Mrs Ulugia applied as a teacher trainer at the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture for all the Catholic schools under Sr Pesio Iosefo as the director of Catholic Education. 

“So she worked as a trainer for primary schools and so she did not only work with the secondary schools but also with the primary school students so she stopped working for us but for M.E.S.C."

Ms Fitu said she believes Mrs Ulugia also spent some time at the Marist Brothers Primary School but couldn’t confirm the year, before returning to Vaimosoin 2006 as a college staff member under Sr Pelenatete's time as principal. 

Then in 2012-2013 Sr Sosefina Stowers became principal and Mrs Ulugia became the Vice-Principal, before getting the top job again as principal in 2014.

"And in 2014-2016 she was appointed as the Principal for the College while I became the Vice-Principal. She completed her service here at St Mary's in 2016,” said Ms Fitu.

And the late educationist didn’t only set the benchmarks in the classroom and college administration, she was also a trailblazer in sports as well as being “a great counselor and good mother” to all the students she taught.

“But besides being an ex-student, teacher, former Vice-Principal and Principal, Mrs Ulugia was an A-student, and she was also an athlete,” added Ms Fitu.

“She plays athletics, softball and netball and she was one of our best athletes back then according to the report from her Principal back then.

"From all the positions she held and taken back to her life as a teacher, Vice-Principal, administrator, Dean of studies, head of the department for English and social studies mainly in history and geography because those were her major subjects, Mrs. Ulugia has helped shape and build the academic life of all her students.

"And when it comes to religious education, Mrs Ulugia has it all. When Mrs Ulugia teaches English she would always use an example from the bible or her religious education subject. “For instance, if the students are studying a short story, she will apply the relationship between the issues covered or the theme of the short story to the bible. 

“And would even connect the life issues of the students to the bible.”

Ms Fitu said the late educationist was an asset and it is a great loss to the college's family, especially St Mary's Old Girls Association members who were taught by Mrs Ulugia.

"For me, she was an asset to our school, and she is dearly missed by the ladies who came through her. Not only for their academic lives but also their holistic education, and most especially her parental care for the students."