St. Joseph Higher Secondary School

St. Joseph Higher Secondary School (সেন্ট যোসেফ উচ্চ মাধ্যমিক বিদ্যালয়), also known as SJC, is an American Catholic higher secondary school in Asad Gate, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh, regarded by some as one of the greatest colleges in Bangladesh. In 2023, St. Joseph was awarded the 'A+' grade by Bangladesh Government. It is a mono-ed (boys') school offering education from Third grade to Twelfth, with pupils averaging 8 to 18 years of age. The school is a single-shift (morning) school with over two thousand students. In 1965, the college relocated to historical Asad Gate near Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban under the jurisdiction of the Mohammadpur Thana, and was dedicated to St. Joseph, the father of Jesus Christ, being named St. Joseph Higher Secondary School.

After the independence of Bangladesh, it was changed from English to National Curriculum-based Bengali medium. At present, English and Bengali are used for teaching up to the higher secondary level. As the name St. Joseph Higher Secondary School suggests, education provided by the school is at the higher secondary level. Every year, about 650-700 students graduate from its Higher Secondary section and 170-180 students from the secondary school section. The students of this institution are known as "Josephite".

The school has its own playground, basketball court, volleyball court, badminton court and table tennis court.

Early history
On March 19, 1954, Brother Jude Costello, an American Missionary member of Congregation of Holy Cross working under the Catholic Archdiocese of Dhaka, founded the school as the "St. Joseph English Medium School" at Monir Hossain Lane, Narinda, in the current old part of Dhaka. The institution had a General Certificate of Education (GCE) based education structure. Classes were taught in the parlor for the first year. The following year, a single story building was constructed by Brother Andrew at Shah Shaheb Lane in Narinda. In 1960, a second roof was added, as the enrolment of the school rose to 269.

In 1963, nine years after opening, the school was sufficiently developed to enable two major accomplishments to take place. In October 1964, to accommodate increasing enrollment, Brother Fulgence, Superior of the Brothers, began work on a new school complex in Mohammadpur. In November of that same year, the first class of boys from St. Joseph sat for the Cambridge Examinations.

In July 1965, all the classes shifted from Narinda to the Mohammadpur compoyears. The new school was very modern and unfinished, leaving students in early years to deal with active construction in their environment.

Liberation War and ensuing history
Following the War of Independence, Principal Br. Ralph Baird departed from his teaching role, engaging actively in the nation's reconstruction efforts. He contributed significantly to the country's relief, and rehabilitation, and championed human rights initiatives through non-governmental development organizations. Concurrently, students from St. Joseph College, accompanied by teachers, ventured to remote regions in support of relief and rehabilitation endeavours on behalf of the institution.

After the liberation and independence of Bangladesh, the school grew and developed with the new country. The medium of instruction changed to Bangla, and the school registered with the Dhaka education board. In 1973, the last of the Cambridge groups took their examinations. During the ten years of Cambridge, 233 boys took the overseas examination and 98% passed with over 60% in the first division. In 1974, the first batch of boys took the SSC Examination; 32 of the 33 boys passed and one of them placed first in the combined merit list.

Current status
The institution celebrated its Golden Jubilee at the campus in 2004, and on 19 March 2024, it celebrated its 70th anniversary of establishment. In the later 21st century, St. Joseph has continued to expand in student body and faculty size, and has seen the establishment of several research centers and programs.

Religious affiliation and ethos
The college is Roman Catholic and the Congregation of Holy Cross exercises responsibility over it through a Governing Body whose chairman is the Archbishop of the Society. The institution is named after Saint Joseph, a christian saint and the legal father of Jesus. The college seeks to give an all-round formation, inculcating both human and spiritual values. It gives special consideration to Roman Catholics and also Buddhists and Ethnic minority (under the minority rights enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh) for whose education the college was founded.

Academic identification
Providing both primary and secondary education levels, since 2001 this institution has also offered higher secondary education. The secondary level has both science and commerce curriculum. The higher secondary level includes humanities too. All levels have both Bengali and English language versions, with each class having two Bengali and one English version sections. Since 2017, it has rebooted the English medium section of the school named St. Joseph International School following the Cambridge Curriculum.

Admission
The school section admission goes through three levels: an interview, a written test and a final selection. Admission into class 3 is held officially, with around 2500-6000 students competing for only 180 seats. Other classes (4-9) may offer admissions if vacant seats are available.

The college section usually selects only 600-700 students out of approximately 12000 applicants.

Curriculum
The school follows the National Curriculum of studies. Upon establishment, it was an English Medium Cambridge school. Following the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the school adapted alongside the national curriculum. In 2004, it introduced the English version first in grade 6, gradually adding one English version section to each grade.

The school was initially named "St. Joseph High School". In 2001, Higher Secondary Education (equivalent to college) was introduced in Saint Joseph, and the name of the institution was changed to "Saint Joseph Higher Secondary School".

The average graduating class from Saint Joseph each year has 160 to 180 students. The secondary level offers S.S.C (equivalent to O level) examinations and the higher secondary level offers H.S.C (equivalent to A level) examinations. The institution is recognized by the Board of Intermediate and Higher Secondary Educations.

Grades and classes
St. Joseph uses names for its sections of grades, rather than numbers or letters. There are three sections for grades 3–10, and there are six sections for grades 11–12. In the school section, each class contains 50-60 students.

(The Italic ones show the English Version Sections.)

Uniform
The school uniform consists of a white shirt (school logo on the left side for school students and right side for the college students), dark grey pants, and black shoes.The school also encourages proper hair cut.

Outdoors
The school has a 3.5 acre campus. It has grounds for association football, basketball, cricket, and volleyball, amidst other sports. The school basketball court, built in the 1960s and updated in 2008, also serves as a multipurpose auditorium. The main field is used as the football pitch and beside the main ground, the mini field is used as a volleyball court, with badminton courts to the side.

Campus and buildings
A composite of two four-story buildings with a two-story building in the annex for teachers and office is located in Dhaka City. The four-story buildings are known as the north and south building. The ground floor of the south building serves as a table tennis court. The school has three main entrances. The first and the second serve as the entry for students and teachers, the third one is for official purposes.

Laboratories
Facilities include two computer labs equipped with multimedia projectors, a separate internet lab, two advanced chemistry labs, two physics labs and two biology labs.

Library
The library was founded in 1954. It has approximately 10,000 books and magazines. The library works with the Bishwa Sahitya Kendra and British Council to arrange book reading programs.

Purposes of the campus
The southwest corner of the school holds a small hostel for the Brothers of Holy Cross. Since 2004, the school has hosted the national occurrence of the Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad.

Academic results and records

 * Ranked as A+ category college in the country.
 * Introduction of Basketball in Bangladesh.
 * Introduction of Parliamentary Format Debate in Bangladesh.
 * In 2023, Dhaka Education Board ranked the institution in A+ category.
 * Established the first High School Level Science Club of Bangladesh in 1957.
 * Formed the first High School Level Debating Club in Bangladesh in 1969.
 * Venue partner of first ever All-Asians university debate competition held in Bangladesh in 2008.
 * Pioneer school in the British Council's global schooling scheme partnered with the Park View Church Community School of the UK since 2006.
 * 13 Gold medals won in the 2007 IAS exam held by University of New South Wales, highest in the country.
 * Highest number of singers from a institution in the country.
 * In 2018, Josephite Math Club won the Best Math Club Award.

Headmasters and principals

 * Br. Jude Costello (1954–1962)
 * Br. Gerald Kraeger (1963–1967 and 1969–1972)
 * Br. Thomas O'Linn (1967–1969)
 * Br. Ralph Baird (1969–1972 and 1979–1985)
 * Br. John Stephen (1985–1987)
 * Br. Thomas Moore (1973–1978 and 1987–1988)
 * Br. Nicholas Thielman (1987–1989)
 * Br. John Rozario (1990–2007) (Ex-Principal Emeritus)
 * Br. Leo James Pereira (2007–2011)
 * Br. Harold B. Rodrigues (2011–2012)
 * Br. Robi Purification CSC (2012–2020)
 * Br. Subal Lawrence Rozario (2022-2022)
 * Br. Dr. Leo James Pereira (Present:2021-2024) [2nd and 5th Principal]

Past and current faculties
Starting with a handful of American Brothers from Congregation of Holy Cross, the school received the services of a large number of teachers both before and after integrating itself with the secondary education system in Bangladesh. The current faculty consists of 50 Secondary Section teachers, 25 Higher Secondary Section teachers, two counselors, two Prefects of Discipline, two librarians, office staffs, two sports instructors, and individual coaches for the soccer, basketball and cricket teams. Leo James Pereira is the current principal of the school. Victor Bikash D'Rozario and Rocy J. Costa are the current vice-principals of the school.

Extracurricular units
Joseph's students, "Josephites", maintain relationships with peers from other colleges by participating in inter-college competitions and college festivals.

The Extra Curricular Credits Committee (ECC) monitors the performance of students and sends contingents to other colleges. Extra-curricular and co-curricular activities include the Scintilla Science Club, Josephite Debating Club, Josephite Language and Reading Club, Josephite Business Club, Josephite Chess Club, Josephite Eco Earth Club, Josephite Interact Club, Josephite Cultural Forum, Josephite Wall Magazine Club, Josephite Film & Drama Club, Josephite IT Club-JITC, Josephite International Understanding Club and newly formed Josephite Wellbeing Club.

Scouting
Scouting was introduced in St. Joseph in 1964. The scout groups of St. Joseph have participated in numerous camps, rallies, jamborees at home and abroad. Many of the scouts have camped in countries like Australia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Literacy School
As a part of its focus on humanitarian and social services, St. Joseph runs a Literacy School at its premises in the afternoon to impart free primary education to the underprivileged children of the slums and Geneva Camps around Mohammadpur area. This Literacy School was founded in 1978 by Brother Nicolas Thiemann, CSC. Students receive free education up to class-V from this school. The classes are held on every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The school starts at 2:30 p.m. and breaks at 5:00 p.m. Besides basic literacy skills, they are taught discipline, good manners, moral and social values.

Publications
"The Josephite" is the yearbook of St. Joseph published annually to record the activities of the institution all year round. The contents of the yearly magazine include messages from the Archbishop, Principal, Vice-Principal, Counselor and Students' Guidance, editor and student editor, photographs of the teachers, photographs of all students (III-XII), photographs of the activities of the students, events and programs, and individual writings of the students in both Bengali and English. "The Josephite" is thought to have been first published in 1967 and since then it has been published every year.

Sports and games
Football, cricket, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, chess are the most common sports and games held regularly on the ground.The institution has an extraordinary chess club in the country. St. Joseph has produced players such as Shahriar Nafees (cricketer) and all Grand Masters of Bangladesh like Niaz Murshed, Reefat Bin Sattar, Ziaur Rahman.

On the annual sports day, a number of traditional track and field events are organised for both the students and teachers. These include long jump, high jump, triple jump, shot put, discus throwing, relay race, 100-metre sprint, 200-metre sprint, 400-metre sprint, 800-metre sprint, 1500-metre sprint, dress as you like and tug-of war.

Notable alumni
The alumni of St. Joseph include members of the parliament, ambassadors, union and state ministers, justices of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, business executive, high-profile jurists and attorneys at law, professors of MIT, liberation martyrs, senior national and state-level bureaucrats, captains of Bangladeshi industry, financiers, philanthropists, educationists, scientists, leaders in the Bangladesh Armed Forces, journalists, leaders in the medical field, chess players, cricketers, luminaries in art and culture including several major film actors and musicians. First heavy metal band in Bangladesh was formed at St. Joseph.

Actors

 * Tahsan Rahman Khan, Bangladeshi actor, singer, songwriter, composer and teacher
 * Arifin Shuvo, Bangladeshi film actor and television personality
 * Arun Saha, Bangladeshi actor and musician
 * Chanchal Chowdhury, Bangladeshi actor and producer.
 * Himel Ashraf, Bangladeshi actor and producer.
 * Jeetu Ahsan, Bangladeshi actor
 * Niloy Alamgir, Bangladeshi model and actor
 * Tawsif Mahbub, Bangladeshi actor

Education

 * Mohammed Omar Ejaz Rahman, adjunct professor of demography and epidemiology, Harvard
 * Mushfiq Mobarak, professor of economics, Yale University
 * Asif Azam Siddiqi, space historian, currently serving as an assistant professor of history at Fordham University
 * Tanweer Hasan, Bangladeshi academic and vice-chancellor of the Independent University, Bangladesh
 * Imran Rahman, Bangladeshi singer and member of Renaissance
 * Jalal Alamgir, academic and an associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts-Boston
 * Fakrul Alam, Bangladeshi professor, Dept. of English of Dhaka University
 * Aasif Ridwan Khan Bangladeshi architect who is well-known for Eco-friendly & sustainable Architecture.
 * Kabirul Islam, Bangladeshi professor of Civil Engineering Department in BUET

Literature

 * Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah, Bangladeshi poet and one of the leading Bengali poets of the 1970s.
 * Shahidul Zahir, Bangladeshi novelist, short story writer and government bureaucrat
 * Mohammad Rafiq, Bangladeshi poet and was awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award in 1987 and Ekushey Padak in 2010.

Music

 * Tahsan Rahman Khan, Bangladeshi singer, songwriter, actor, composer, model
 * Shafin Ahmed, Bangladeshi rock bassist, singer-songwriter, record producer
 * Khairul Anam Shakil, awarded Ekushey Padak in music
 * Iqbal Asif Jewel, Bangladeshi singer and vocalist
 * Raef al Hasan Rafa, Bangladeshi singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the former drummer of rock band Aurthohin and metal band Cryptic Fate.
 * Jon Kabir, Bangladeshi singer, composer, actor, and model.
 * Manam Ahmed, Bangladeshi singer and member of Miles
 * George Lincoln D'Costa, Bangladeshi singer and vocalist.
 * Balam, Bangladeshi singer, guitarist, composer, and music producer
 * Babna Karim, ex-member of Warfaze
 * Ibrahim Ahmed Kamal, Bangladeshi singer and member of Warfaze
 * Russell Ali, ex-member of Warfaze
 * Hamin Ahmed, member of Miles
 * Meraj, ex-member of Black
 * Nafi, ex-member of Shadow and current member of Aurthohin.
 * Faisal Siddiqi Bogey, ex-Member of Renaissance and stage performer.
 * Saimum Hasan Nahian, Bangladeshi singer and member of Powersurge and Severe Dementia)
 * Saimum Hasan Nahian, Bangladeshi singer and member of Powersurge and Severe Dementia)

Sports and games

 * Shahriar Nafees, Bangladeshi cricketer and former Twenty20 International captain for Bangladesh
 * Fazley Rabby, Bangladeshi cricketer and entrepreneur
 * Tushar Imran, Bangladeshi cricketer and former test captain
 * Reefat Bin Sattar, Bangladeshi chess grandmaster
 * Niaz Murshed, first Bangladeshi chess grandmaster
 * Ziaur Rahman, Bangladeshi chess player who received the FIDE title of Grandmaster in 2002

Politics

 * Anisul Huq, Bangladeshi lawyer and politician who has been the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs in the Cabinet of Bangladesh since 2014
 * Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Bangladeshi politician and the incumbent Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Jessore-3 constituency since 2014.
 * Tarique Rahman, Bangladeshi politician and son of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia
 * Andaleeve Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party, ex-member of parliament, and principal of British School of Law in Dhaka
 * Muhammed Sohul Hussain, former Election Commissioner of Bangladesh during the 2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
 * Mohammad Sadique, Bangladeshi writer and public official who served as 13th chairman of Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC)

Businesspeople

 * Asif Saleh, is a Bangladeshi development professional. He is the current Executive Director of BRAC, Bangladesh.
 * Omar Ishrak, chairman of Intel, chairman & CEO of Medtronic
 * Mirza Ali Behrouze Ispahani, businessman from the Ispahani family and the chairman of M. M. Ispahani Limited
 * Saifur Rahman - director of Transcom Ltd, Mediastar Ltd and chairman of ESTCD Trust (Independent University Bangladesh).
 * Kazi Mahmood Sattar, chief executive officer of The City Bank Limited.
 * Adil Islam - managing director and Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Bank Bangladesh Limited.
 * Sakib Bin Rashid, co-founder of edtech platform 10 Minute School.
 * Nasser Rahman, chairman of DuSai Hotel and Resorts Ltd in USA.
 * Sam Mahmud, Founder of AirOperate UK, ReadyforGuest Global, TeqnologiX, AirkeyHub USA and former vice president of JP Morgan.

Medical

 * Dr. Rashid Uddin, Bangladeshi neurologist

Others

 * Naveed Mahbub, Bangladeshi comedian and columnist
 * Abu Mayeen Ashfakus Samad, Bangladeshi Army officer killed in the Bangladesh Liberation War

Alumni association
The alumni of the school have formed the Saint Joseph Old Boys Foundation (SJOBF), which organizes events and programs.

The alumni of the school have formed the Josephites Foundation Canada, a North American foundation that accepts members from all over the world who are Josephites.