New school year, same unhygienic conditions

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A new school year is set to begin in less than three weeks. Will public schools be ready?

Not according to the official in charge at the Environmental Division of the Department of Health who appeared before the House Health Committee last Thursday,

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That was Representative Larry Sanitoa and the head of the Environmental Health Services of DOH, Aileen Solaita.

She told the committee that the same conditions that were observed during school inspections last year and previous years still exist. Unsanitary and unhygienic school buildings, bathrooms and cafeterias, and strong stench of sewer.

Solaita also described unsafe construction sites that leave students exposed to injuries as there are no barricades surrounding the construction sites.

Lawmakers reacted strongly to the report by Solaita.

Rep Vailoata Amituanai said, “I feel sorry for our children. With millions of dollars being poured into the Department of Education, our children have to endure these deplorable conditions.”

He guessed that the unhygienic conditions that Solaita described were the reason for several illnesses spreading in the territory.

Committee members recalled testimony by the Director of Education at a previous hearing that work to get schools ready for the beginning of the new school year will be completed early August.

DOE Director Talauega Dr Samasoni Asaeli was not oresent for an update as he’s attending the Samoan Heritage Initiative in Hawaii.

Along with Solaita were Director of Health, Motusa Tuileama Nua and Director of Clinical Services at DOH Dr Elizabeth Lauvao.

One of the reasons the hearing was called was to clarify the vaccination requirements for students. It was pointed out that Samoana High School students have been told that they cannot enroll if they have not received Covid vaccinations.

Dr Lauvao explained that the only vaccinations being enforced are the normal ones for childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, etc. But DOH is not requiring Covid vaccinations of school children as a condition of enrollment.

KHJ News points out that vaccination of school children is set by law.