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Students are ‘literally’ sitting on floor in Tafuna Elementary classroom

Broken chairs in Tafuna Elementary classroom
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A mother, who dropped off her children at Tafuna Elementary School on Monday morning, at the start of the new school 2020- 2021 took photos of broken chairs at the elementary school.  The mother then shared the photos with Tualauta Rep. Larry Sanitoa, who then forwarded them to the school’s principal and Education director Dr. Ruth Matagi-Tofiga.

Sanitoa informed the Education director that the mother had complained to the school — when she dropped off her kids that morning, but the mother was told to be patient, as they just started the school year. 

“Her point was these school desks/ chairs were the same from last year and they can cause bodily injury to any of the school children,” Sanitoa wrote  on Monday in an email to Matagi-Tofiga, who was also asked for any update on the new chairs and desks for students.

Sanitoa, who was visiting all schools in the Tualauta county, also requested the latest update on the laptops and/ or tablets for schools.

Matagi-Tofiga informed Sanitoa that she had made known during the recent cabinet meeting as well as this past Sunday’s government coronavirus task force meeting that all of local Education Department’s order of furniture, equipment — and stipends for Teachers for summer workshops — “have not been released, and I have asked to relax the procurement process so we can get our orders out.”

According to the director, she has personally followed-up on these orders and that she has met with all school principals before the school year opened regarding this matter. (See yesterday’s Samoa News edition of what Matagi-Tofiga told the task force meeting.)

Matagi-Tofiga told Sanitoa that she has informed the Tafuna Elementary principal to remove the damaged chairs.

Yesterday morning Sanitoa reached out to acting chief procurement officer, Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola for assistance along with the latest information from Matagi-Tofiga regarding supplies for ASDOE.

“During my site visit [Monday] to several of the schools in my district,  I confirmed with the respective principals they all have the same problem of the lack of school desks, chairs, laptops, equipment, etc.,” Sanitoa wrote to Tuimavave, who was asked for an update on the status of the schools furniture and equipment supplies being ordered.

“The students are literally sitting on the floor as they do not have enough desks and chairs,” Sanitoa wrote. “The schools are also unable to do virtual online classes as they do not have enough laptops and tablets.”

As of yesterday morning complaints have reached other lawmakers about the shortage of supplies. And that prompted calls for committee hearings to find out from ASG officials — especially Tuimavave — as to what’s causing any delays.