…answering the call to serve love and excellence through its Catholic education
by April S. Campeña
St. Andrew’s School is the oldest parochial school in Parañaque, which was established
on June 27, 1917 by the its founding father Rev. Fr. Josef Van Runckelen, a Belgian priest from the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He named the school after the patron saint, St. Andrew the Apostle, the patron of fishermen.
St. Andrew’s School was known to most as an exclusive school for boys, but back in
1932, when it expanded its school to include the high school department, it consisted of 20 boys and 12 girls. In 1936, due to the difficulties at that time, these numbers were reduced to 3 boys and 4 girls. They were known as The Magnificent Seven and they were the first batch of high school students to graduate in 1937. When the war broke out in 1941, the school closed and reopened 4 years later exclusively for boys.
By 1994, the administration of the school and parish transitioned from religious to diocesan. A lot of developments were made around this time, like new buildings for the preschool and elementary departments, gymnasium, computer rooms and other facilities that will ensure continued improvement in the delivery of education. They revived the co-educational status in 1999 and on the same year, they have established the preschool department. Later, this was named as the Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) in 2005.
When the Department of Education introduced the K to 12 program, St. Andrew’s School adapted its program by integrating the CECE to its Primary Grade School Unit in the Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED). In the succeeding years, they have also included Special Education Program, Alternative Learning System (ALS) and Skills and Development Program which are also included in the IBED.
St. Andrew’s School embodies its call of Pro Deo et Patria – For God and Country – in
their core values of their vision and mission: (a) integrity, (b) discernment, (c) growth in faith, knowledge and virtue; (d) community and celebration of life; and (e) service and nationalism. These are embedded in the pillars of the Andrean Catholic Education, wherein Religion is at their core curriculum. Their learning programs and activities promote students’ growth in the Catholic Faith. They also provide quality and relevant education that fosters holistic development among Andreans. They equip their students with the 21st century skills through different educational technologies and they strive for excellence through interactions within the school community and fellow parochial schools.
Just like their patron saint, they are called to be “fishers of men” that involves the marginalized and underprivileged communities through their outreach activities.
Just like St. Andrew the Apostle’s humility and obedience in following Jesus, St. Andrew’s School hopes that their graduates live by the Catholic faith and to always bring glory
back to God and ready to serve the country.
One of their notable alumni is His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. His Eminence finished his basic education at St. Andrew's in 1973. He was the Archbishop of Manila until he was appointed in the Vatican as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, member of Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and in charge of the Dicastery for Evangelizations.
For more information about St. Andrew’s School, you may visit their official website
andreans.edu.ph or their official Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/saspque.
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