A new boss for the Samoa Qualification Authority (S.Q.A.) will be announced soon as the interview for the position of chief executive officer have already been conducted.

The vacancy for the top position at S.Q.A. was advertised in August this year closed Friday 26 August 2022. 

The Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Public Bodies Governance Division, Manu’a Dr. Cam Wendt, confirmed that the interviews had been concluded and they were in the process of finalising the person who would fit the role.

"My understanding is that the report by the interview panel has been submitted to the SQA Board for its consideration before it is passed to Cabinet for their endorsement," Manu'a said. 

However, when asked about the number of applicants and those who were interviewed, Manu'a asked that we get a comment from the representative of the S.Q.A. Board. 

Attempt by this newspaper to get a comment from the S.Q.A. Board on the number of applicants as well as those who were interviewed for the position have been unsuccessful. 

The C.E.O appointment is for a contractual term of employment of three years and the salary and benefits will be in accordance with existing remuneration packages set by the Government of Samoa for Chief Executive Officers/General Managers of Ministries and Corporations.

The former C.E.O. Lealiifano Easter Manila-Silipa resigned in June this year to become the APTC Country Director for Samoa and Tonga, after clocking over 16 years of service with the organisation. 

She was promoted to the C.E.O. post in 2020 and had been at the helm of the authority through challenging times including the Covid-19 pandemic before she moved to the Australian government-funded APTC.

Some of the major developments achieved at S.Q.A. under her leadership include accreditation of higher education programmes that are inclusive of the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.), Malua Theological College and Piula Theological College and completing the initial step towards the international recognition of Samoa qualifications.