15 Aug 2008

American Samoa says everything ready for new school year

10:38 am on 15 August 2008

American Samoa's Department of Education estimates that more than 14 thousand pupils will be enrolled for the new school year which begins on the 25th of August.

The department's Director, Dr Claire Poumele, says their goal this year is to ensure that every classroom has a teacher on the first day of school and throughout the year.

At the start of the new school year, Dr Poumele said 30 teaching positions had still to be filled, though that problem had been eased by the employment of 20 volunteer teachers from WorldTeach, a non-profit and non governmental organization based at the Centre for International Development at Harvard University.

Over the summer, some 18 classroom teachers either resigned or retired and the director says further resignations can be expected.

She says the department's goal this year - as it is ever year - is to raise student achievements and to create a safe environment for students.