Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — While very supportive of increasing salaries of public school teachers, many senators voiced their concern and displeasure that an Administration bill for this proposal failed to provide details of the new salary hikes, which has been in effect for over a month — since July 1st, per a June 30th directive issued by Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga.

With important details missing in the legislation, the Senate Education Committee at the conclusion of a hearing on Monday, agreed to table the measure until such time that the appropriate revision is provided by the Administration as well as a report from Human Resources Department (DHR) on its review of the entire government workforce pay schedule that included the new pay schedule for teachers.

DHR director Lynn Pulou-Alaimalo, Education director Talauega Dr. Asaeli Samasoni and ASG Budget Office director Catherine A. Saelua appeared Monday morning for the committee hearing, which started with Sen. Malaepule Saite Moliga pointing out that the bill seeks to repeal the current teacher pay-scale but without any other information or explanation.

That statement was echoed by all senators who spoke during the hearing, saying that the Administration wants to repeal current law, but “where is the replacement” provision or the new pay schedule?

Senators also informed the witnesses that with the Lemanu Administration, being new, it is best that the right-way of doing things is implemented now, instead of having to deal with problems down the line.

Responding to a committee question, Pulou-Alaimalo explained that pay scale for teachers has already been adjusted to reflect the new one, effective July 1st — as per the governor’s memorandum, which covers the entire ASG workforce including blue-collar workers, white-collar workers and teachers with degrees.

As previously announced by the Administration, under the new pay-plan, the starting salaries for teacher degree holders with an AA  degree is at $20,635; BA at $31,560; MA at $41,074 and PhD at $50,233. (See Samoa News edition July 6th for details including a copy of the governor’s July 1st memo, that also covers pay grades and step increments, adopted for career service employees.)

The governor’s June 30th memo on the new pay scale for ASG was then distributed to senators — some of them saying that this information should have been provided together with the draft copy of the bill sent to the Fono or included in the bill.

Sen. Utu Sila Poasa informed the witnesses that it’s not the Fono’s job to correct Administration bills or make necessary amendments. He said the Fono should have been properly informed in advance so that the committee has all the necessary information.

Asked about the funding source for the new teachers’ salaries, Saelua said it comes from federal COVID money.

The Governor’s Office said last month — responding to media queries — that the US Department of Education (USDOE) has given approval for use of the COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund (ESF II) to pay for salary adjustments for public school educators, while the local Education Department (ASDOE) already has a plan to cover the adjusted salaries when the grant money expires in about 3-years.  (See Samoa News online July 21st for details.)

During the hearing, Sen. Togiola Tulafono asked if a study was conducted first before implementation of the new ASG pay scale, because it covers the entire workforce, as well as degree holders not only for teachers but other professionals. Pulou-Alaimalo, responded “yes” and there were also consultants from New Zealand involved in the process.

The committee requested a full-detailed report of the results of the study, who was involved, and the process involved in reaching the government’s new pay scale. 

The study came under the purview of the governor’s Compliance Review Committee (CRC), established earlier this year, which was tasked to review all expenses related to COVID-19 as well as all government and employment actions from January 1, 2019. They were also tasked with the review of the general pay scale for the workforce.

During a brief committee discussion, after the ASG witnesses left the hearing, a consensus among senators was reached to table the bill for further consideration and also await the reports requested from DHR.

Mentioned briefly by the committee is whether or not the Attorney General conducted a full review of the draft legislation before it was submitted to the Fono in early July, or if everything was done by the Governor’s chief legal counsel.

So far the Senate has rejected two Administration bills and tabled at least four other measures for further review because the proposed laws, were “incomplete” — missing pertinent information.