8 Jun 2015

Indian teachers possible in American Samoa.

7:53 pm on 8 June 2015

The Governor of American Samoa Lolo Matalasi Moliga has suggested hiring teachers from countries like India to help improve education in the territory.

Lolo outlined to the U.S. Department of Interior the territory's struggles with educational achievement in a letter which has been released on the Office of Insular Areas website.

He says more than 80 percent of students starting at the American Samoa Community College have to enrol in remedial programmes for Mathematics and English.

American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga.

American Samoa Governor Lolo Moliga. Photo: RNZI Monica Miller

Lolo, a former teacher, says the pass rates for the military and police academy are equally dismal.

Lolo says teachers must be paid better and given the tools to teach effectively and he says they must be held more accountable.

The governor says the curriculum taught in public schools is woefully inadequate with few courses offered in science and maths and experienced teachers hard to find.