The cancellation of school sports was Friday’s news. Today’s news is that beginning tomorrow, all school sports events will resume, and there will be buses to transport students.
Director of Education Vaitinasa Dr. Salu Hunkin Finau announced this after a meeting with high school principals, parents and ASHAA officials this afternoon.
Her announcement came as some high schools were planning to demonstrate outside the DOE main office in Utulei to protest DOE’s decision last Friday to cancel all sports events.
This is what the DOE Director had to say.
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The director explained at her meeting this afternoon that one of the main reasons which led to DOE’s plan to cancel school sports was because of unpaid overtime costs for ASHAA officials, bus drivers and coaches.
Her letter to school principals on Friday said that ASDOE was down from 15 to 13 operable buses to transport public and private students, the lead manager of the mechanics for DOE has just resigned and ASG is trying to pay all the overtime for the bus drivers accumulated from first semester sports competitions.
Vaitinasa stated at the meeting today that extra-curriculum activities are not mandated by law but a privilege and are encouraged to help build leadership skills, and other characteristics among students.
She said the school bus fleet is not at a level required to serve the territory’s student population.
The DOE director confirmed to KHJ News that the lead manager for DOE mechanics Epati Lang has resigned, the main reason being for his health as the job comes with a lot of pressure.
