Cabinet has endorsed the adjustment of school hours for all government schools, to start at 8am and finishes at 1:30pm in the afternoon, which is a switch back to what Samoa’s school hours used to be prior to a change made in 2011.
The change was a recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
In his weekly press conference Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt said many factors were considered in the decision to return to school hours to what Samoa once had.
O le fautuaga na tuuina mai e le Matagaluega o Aoga Aganu’u, ua toe suia nei a tatou taimi amata, ina ia lava le taimi e aoaoina ai tamaiti aoga i totonu o potu aoga, lava le taimi e toe fo’i ai i le fale i le afa o le 1, ta le 2 ua i le fale poo le afa o le 2, ta le aoga faifeau i le ta o le 4, toe foi i le fale i le ta o le 5, maua le lotu o le afiafi ia ma maua le taimi e fai ai meaaoga i le fale.”
A 1:30 knock off time means children will be home by 2pm or 2:30 and have enough time to attend Aoga Faifeau in the village. Aoga Faifeau, used to be a popular afternoon activity for Samoa children and youth. Often a short walking distance from home, they would attend between 4 and 5pm, and be present for evening prayer time.
For srudent safety, adjustments will ensure they are catching the bus home early and not having to linger at bus depots, competing for seats with workers in the mornings or going home in the afternoons.
Adjustments will also ensure there is less traffic in the morning, separating school traffic from workers in the morning. For students catching the bus this also allows them to be catching earlier buses.
“Ua tatou toe fo’i lava i le mea na tatou amata mai ai, ta le 8 i le taeao ua amata aoga ae tuua i le afa o le tasi [1:30pm]” said the Prime Minister.
“Ua maitau lelei ma le toto’a le mataupu lenei ona ua tele isi mea fou ua alia’e mai, e fai o le tuai ona amata o aoga, tuai ona ō tamaiti i le fale, fa’asoesā i le taulaga, tele ai ma nisi tulaga e le tatau ona toe tutupu mai, ae ua amata ai foi ona momoe u’umi tamaiti i le aso.”
Laaulialemalietoa also highlighted that the new changes was based on the recommendation from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa added that the new school hours will also ease traffic jams in the morning, because everyone will be rushing to work as well as school drop offs.
“O le a fa’amāmā avega foi i le pisi i luga o le auala tele, o lona uiga e tatau ona ta le 7 ua i luga uma ta’avale a le au aooga i luga o le aualatele, ta ane le 8 ua kilia ae ua o atu le aufaigaluega i luga o le auala, ona ua maitau i le taimi lenei, ua fai lava si tele o le pisi ona ua o faatasi le ta o le 9 a le au aooga ma le ta o le 9 a le aufaigaluega.”
Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa did not confirm when the changes would come into effect.
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