Six years after the tsunami destroyed Taputapu Elementary School in the village of Poloa, excavation of the land where the new school building will be located is all that has been done.
Funding of the new school building which has been relocated to the next village of Fagali’i has been made available by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) since after the tsunami.
For over 6 years land issues has delayed the construction of the much needed school.
Taputapu Elementary School students had been accommodated along with students of the Alataua Elementary school in the village of Nua and Se’etaga a about 3 villages away from Poloa.
According to an update from the Director of Education in her weekly bulletin, the excavation of the land is nearly completed.
Retaining walls are being built in various areas of the land to ensure that the ground is solid once the building process starts.
DOE is hoping that bidding to select a company to build the new school will be completed by the end of this month
In other school construction, Samoana High School’s Social Studies Building is progressing smoothly.
Contractors are building the wooden beam for the roof, completing stairways, and pouring cement for the walkway on the first floor.
Documents for the purchase of all furniture have been processed for this building which should be completed in April.
Aua Elementary School buildings, one of which houses five classrooms, a kitchen, a dining area and a lift has been completed.
The connecting building which will house four classrooms for 1st and 2nd grade students will start soon.
When the classroom buildings are completed, school furniture should be here and ready for installation so that the classrooms can be used as soon as they are finished.
Aua’s cafeteria is also getting new kitchen equipment.
