St Aloysius College (SAC) is a Catholic primary, secondary and post-secondary education institution run by the Euro-Mediterranean Province of the Society of Jesus in Birkirkara, Malta. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1907 to complement the seminaries and tertiary institutions already in existence on the island. Today, it comprises a coeducational primary school, boys' secondary school, and a coeducational sixth form. The College compound also houses its own church (dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus) which is used by the College community and open to the public, as well as a Sports and Recreational Complex. History In October 1907, the Jesuits, at the request of Pope Pius X, founded St Aloysius College at Birkirkara, in the building which presently houses the Secondary school. The College opened with 64 boarders, 56 day boys, and 30 externs. Today, the student population is just over 1500. The college was originally built in 1896 to house young Jesuits in their formative years. However, in 1905 the novices and other scholastics were transferred to Sicily and the building remained vacant for a while. It served as a hospital for Allied soldiers during the Second World War. Primary school The primary school was originally Stella Maris School, a separate school founded by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, and has been incorporated into the college: boys (and in the coming years also girls) can attend the school from kindergarten through to sixth form. Students are admitted to the Primary School in Kindergarten 2 or Prep 1 through the ballot system, and move on directly to secondary education after Prep 6. Students' council Established in 2016, the Primary School has its own Students' council, with elections held in October each year. Only students from Prep 3 to Prep 6 are eligible to run. The council has 15 members, with one student representing each class. The council organises various activities throughout the scholastic year and introduces new initiatives facilitated by the school administration. Secondary school The secondary school is located on Old Railway Road (Triq il-Ferrovija l-Qadima), Birkirkara. It is three storeys high with another storey underground, and incorporates a small inner ground and a large hall which serves as a theatre for cultural events held at the college. Such events include the Sixth Form's Soirée, the Secondary School Concert, Talent Nights, and the celebration of other feast days in the Jesuit calendar. The college celebrated its