4 Jul 2011

Call for solutions to student violence in Samoa

6:56 am on 4 July 2011

The principal of St Josephs college in Samoa, Brother Stephen Filipo, is calling for more to be done to address student violence in the country.

A brawl between pupils of St Josephs and Leififi colleges led to four teenagers being charged with disturbing the peace.

They also could face assault charges.

Brother Filipo says all too often people blame the schools for the problem but he says the issue is bigger than that.

He says the government should step in because he says he fears one day someone could be hurt fatally

"My fear is that someone is going to die and by that time it's too late, it's just like that girl a couple of years ago that got burnt, and all you need is some spear or knife or something like that will occur in these fights and thankfully it hasn't occurred but I fear for the worst."

Brother Stephen Filipo says his school is one of many in Apia which have programes in place to support students.