18 Jan 2010

Samoa to waive primary school fees for poor

4:23 pm on 18 January 2010

Samoa is planning to waive school fees for mainly primary school children from low income families.

The government is providing free text books and other materials to date, but parents are paying school fees.

Our correspondent in Apia, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, reports that'll now change for some children.

"The ministry is going to launch this assistance in paying school fees for low income families. Mainly for parents who can not afford to send their children to school because of financial constraints. And for parents who's children want to continue education, but they are unable because of a lack of finances. That's the main aim of the programme, but [they have not released] details of how the programme is going to be implemented. That information should be made known when the ministry will launch it, hopefully tomorrow, on Tuesday [our time]."

Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia