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Literacy Week explores “Hidden Treasures of a Book”

[photo: ASDOE]
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Students at Matatula Elementary School attended the school’s 2nd Annual Reading and Hands on Literacy Week from May 21- 25 under the theme: “Hidden Treasures of a Book”.

Organized by principal Asofa’afetai Pulu, with vice principal Melody Kitiona and teacher Amarantos Fa’alevao, the goal of the event is to “increase awareness of the importance of reading a book.”

Education Department director Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga, jump started Reading Literacy Week by encouraging students to read.

“Reading was one of the most popular forms of self development, self education and entertainment,” she said.

But with the ever advancement and technology in today’s world, “there is more distraction and other things for people to do [and] many people have lost interest in reading, with some children finding reading boring and they would prefer to play video games or spend all their time on their phones.”

Matagi-Tofiga notes that “benefits of reading are enormous: feeds the craving mind, engages the imagination, stimulates creativity, brings joy and makes the most of your time."

The DOE director and Fagaitua High School National Honor Society students (in the background) were assigned a classroom where they read to students early this week.

For the rest of the week, readers will include Miss Pacific Islands, Matauaina To’omalatai; Miss SOFIAS, Valentana Faumuina; Congresswoman Aumua Amata; lawmakers, and the final day will be three women from the village church, according to information from ASDOE.