The Government has reaffirmed its priority to quality education and professional development by boosting funds for professional bodies' accessibility and scholarship schemes. 

In doing so the annual one-government grant stands at $18 million to cover levels of education from early childhood education, primary and secondary levels. 

The funding is a portion of the $1.15 billion national budget for 2024-2025 tabled in the House on Tuesday which is an increase of $70 million from the 2023-2024 financial year plan. 

The $18 million one-government grant is in addition to the district development program from 35 districts that have used disbursed financial assistance for students to enable affordable education. 

In his budget address, the Minister of Finance, Lautimuia Uelese Vaai said the government has also increased scholarship opportunities in Fiji and New Zealand. 

The existing Government scholarship scheme of $6.3 million provides educational opportunities for undergraduate studies locally at the National University of Samoa and in Fiji and New Zealand. 

A provision of $1.5 million is also appropriated under the Ministry of Education and Culture for the teachers’ higher education scheme. 

These initiatives are complimented by the existing scholarship opportunities from our development partners.

In contribution to quality education, the percentage of teachers with higher education qualifications has increased from 44 per cent (2021) to 47 per cent (2022) and 50 per cent (2023) for primary teachers. 

Similarly, for secondary education teachers, there has been a positive trend from 63 per cent (2021) to 68 per cent (2023). 

Lautimuia said to further develop the nation’s human capital, the state is introducing two new initiatives aimed at strengthening partnerships with professional bodies and upskilling public servants.

An amount of $100,000 has been allocated under the Public Service Commission’s budget for partnership grants of $10,000 per professional body (e.g. Samoa Institute of Accountants). 

The funding will assist with capacity development initiatives aimed at enhancing the pool of local experts available to provide competitive bids for consultancy works under development projects. “Moreover, this will strengthen the local content of Government procurement awards,” said the Minister of Finance.

Secondly, $200,000 has been allocated for a scholarship scheme targeting active public servants who are doing part-time studies at the undergraduate level. 

The scheme will be implemented using a competitive process with eligibility criteria.