Director: No Students Sitting on Books in Class

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That photo on Facebook of a student sitting on a pile of books at Samaona High School was fodder at a hearing of a Senate hearing with Director of Education Vaitinasa Dr. Salu Hunkin Finau Monday.

Vice Chairman of the Senate Education Committee Senator Laolagi Vaeao posed this question.

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The DOE Director said in all her visitations to the schools she hasn’t come across such a situation.

She guessed the photo was to make a point about not enough chairs and desks in classrooms.

But as to whether there are kids sitting on books in the classroom, Vaitinasa didn’t think this was happening.

The DOE director did admit that the local revenue portion of the DOE budget of $20 to $21 million leaves very little money to buy school furniture and instructional material.

She said 90% of the budget goes to salaries which leaves about $1.8 million for supplies for actual teaching and desks and chairs.

Vaitinasa said $1.8 million to spend on 14,000 students is not very much.

She did admit that there were not enough chairs and desks for students.

But as to whether there are students having to sit on books in the classrooms, Vaitinsa said she’s never come across such a situation and believed the photo was just to make a point.

The photo was posted by a Samoana High School teacher to her FaceBook page around the time that the high school was broken into and some of the classrooms vandalized and computers stolen,

The culprit or culprits also left behind excrement.

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