Tuala-uta Representative Vui Florence Saulo has written to the Director of Education expressing concern regarding the drowning at Pala Lagoon Swimming Center.
The lawmaker said she can only imagine the pain that the child’s parents have to endure having received such dreadful news.
And a parent herself she cannot even begin to describe the sense of loss her family is going through.
Vui referred to news reports and initial information regarding what happened which gives indications that “there may have been a lack of proper supervision of the children.”
She said such news would instantly raise so many questions regarding departmental policies towards school trips.
Noting there is a police investigation underway, the faipule said she feels the duty and urgency to press upon DOE the government’s obligation with regards to the care and custody of school children during school hours.
She makes the point that “parents have entrusted educators and school personnel with the safety of their children which is why when incidents such as this happen, we first ask, where were the teachers?”
She wrote, “I understand the fact this happened during the week of graduation and the students and teachers were in a celebratory mood. But that cannot make us lose sight of the fact that these students are young and that there is always an obligation to apply the rules of conduct whenever and wherever they may be.”
