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ASDOE: Public high school graduations for 2020 “will be virtual”

Education director Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga
There will also be “one virtual baccalaureate for all the high schools”
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Education director Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga confirmed yesterday that all public high school graduations for this school year “will be virtual” and will be held next month, as American Samoa remains under the COVID-19 emergency declaration, which has been extended until June 1st.

With the usual public high school graduations looming, parents and families, who have been planning have questioned what will happen to this year’s graduation ceremony due to current coronavirus restrictions.

In a statement yesterday, Matagi-Tofiga explained that the local Education Department (ASDOE) leadership along with all public high school principals have been meeting and sharing ideas on how to best approach High School graduations, especially with the emergency declaration in place, and preventive measures such as social distancing being emphasized.

“Also taking into account the number of students in each graduating class,” she said, and explained that anticipated students graduating from Fagaitua High is 142; Leone High- 130; Nu’uuli Vocational Technical High (NVTHS)- 71; Samoana High- 192, Manu’a High- 12 and Tafuna High at 242.

Matagi-Tofiga said the Secondary Division leadership with high school principals “have agreed to have one virtual baccalaureate for all the high schools” and they also agreed to have Rev. Iasepi Ulu of the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa in Fagatogo officiate at the baccalaureate.

According to the director, the graduation ceremony will be recorded with the normal program, but Seniors Advisors, Counselors and students are creating part of the ceremony with video clips, highlighting the class of 2020.

“Virtual graduation advantage is the ability to have speakers that we would not have during an in person graduation because of time constraints,” she said. The Class of 2020, Student Body President and the Class Valedictorian will be delivering messages to represent their classes.

“Graduation ceremonies are the most significant milestone of every school, especially for our seniors, but these are challenging times,” she points out. “ASDOE wants to send off the Class of 2020 in a memorable ceremony.”

The virtual graduation schedule for each high school is as follows:

Manu'a- June 12; Samoana- June 15; NVTH- June 16; Leone- June 17; Tafuna- June 18 and Fagaitua- June 19.

KVZK-TV will be recording the graduation ceremonies and ASDOE is working with the state-run broadcaster to also stream it on social media.

ASDOE is expected to release information updates as graduation nears.