The Department of Health (DOH) has closed the Tafuna High School Gym, effective March 28, following an inspection by the Environmental Health Services.
The inspection followed concerns relayed to DOH by the public and staff.
Aileen Solaita, who heads the Environmental Health Services, said that concerns about the gym include that’s it’s infested with rats, the fence surrounding the gym collects piles of trash and is overgrown with grass.
Yet, the gym is used by the school for some classes. 
Solaita said, their inspection found that the concerns were valid as they witnessed these conditions at the Tafuna High School gym.
They also found the actual building to be unsafe. She said, metal rails were damaged and in a bad state of disrepair. And metal poles posed a safety hazard for students.
“We are concerned that the rusty and deteriorated beams and poles can result in the building collapsing,” said Solaita.
The Department of Education has assured it will clear out the trash, and has asked that the school be allowed to use the gym until after graduation.
Solaita says, if they can give assurance the gym is safe for students to use, they will inspect the facility again after the clean up work and go from there.
