Office the start of N.U.S.’s proposed Savai’i campus

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 09 August 2017, 12:00AM

For many years, parents and students from Savai’i have been travelling to Apia to find the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.).

But the trip and the associated expenses that come with it will no longer be needed thanks to the decision by the N.U.S. to open an office at Salelologa, Savai’i.

Located on the second floor of the Salelologa market, Vice Chancellor Professoor Fui Asofou So’o said the move is to decentralise the services provided by the N.U.S.

It is also proof of the government’s mantra which “what is good for Upolu is also good for Savai’i.”

The office cost $97,500 to set up. It was set up by Savai’i-based contractor, Setefano Tauvao.

“Basically the new office will provide services for students and all stake holders of N.U.S. in Savai’i. It is the new beginning,” said Professor Fui.

“It’s something small to start with before we expand our services by having a campus in Savai’i and the motto is ‘what’s good for Upolu is good for Savai’i.”’

“The new office will host enrolments for Savai’i students who were able to make it to the N.U.S. instead of them coming all the way from Savai’i to Upolu.”

 “The Oloamanu Centre staff will go to Savai’i every semester to conduct trainings for teachers and that is what the conference room will be used for.”

“The office at the moment will be used as a training room because we are leasing two offices from the Samoa Land Corporation.

[And] also because some of the N.U.S. faculties conduct field trips here in Savai’i so we will be using this new office so that we don’t have to stay at hotels and spend money there but now we have a new office we can just come and use this office.”

Professor Fui said the negotiation between the N.U.S. and Salelologa started in March. He had also submitted a proposal to Cabinet for 50 acres of land at Salelologa to allow the N.U.S. to build a campus there.

The Vice Chancellor acknowledged the support of the Salelologa Village Council.

An elder of the village Taotua Ioane Matamua spoke on behalf of the village to thank the N.U.S. as well as the government for thinking about the students of Savai’i. He told the gathering that opening an N.U.S. office in Savai’i means a lot to them as well as the students.

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 09 August 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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