A review is underway to adjust teachers’ salaries to attract and keep qualified teachers in the profession instead of losing them to other industries.

Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa revealed the work carried out by a special committee tasked to look for solutions to address the shortage of teachers. 

The special committee is headed by the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Education and Culture (M.E.C.), the Vice Chancellor of the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.), and the Public Service Commissioner. 

Fiame told Parliament during the Government response to the 2024-2025 National Budget debate that one of the focal areas considered is realigning the salary gap for principals and deputy principals. 

The committee was asked to readjust teachers’ pay grades and increase them according to their qualifications.

Fiame who is the acting Minister for M.E.C. said a new framework prepared by P.S.C. is in place and currently the subject of consultation with the M.E.C. with plans to have it officially implemented in July this year. 

Earlier this year, the Minister for M.E.C., Seuula Ioane said there are plans in the pipeline to offer Diploma in Education programmes at N.U.S. to encourage more students to take up the course as part of efforts to address the teachers shortage.

He said P.S.C. has agreed to allow students who obtained a Diploma in Education to join the teaching profession and increase the pool of teachers to assist with the shortage. 

Furthermore, there is training offered at the university for teachers to teach more than two subjects.