The Vaimea Primary School in Apia celebrated the academic achievements of their school principal and three teaching staff members with a party.

Suea Mauafu, Numera Iakopo Sione and Ailini Pomare graduated from the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) early this month with bachelors in education, while school principal Tonuu Fuamoli Amituanai Misi graduated with a masters degree in education, and received a certificate as an applied scholastics instructor from Saint Louis in the United States.

The school hosted a party in the school Tuesday to celebrate the principal and her three teachers' educational accomplishments.

A parent, Joseph Pereira, said he is proud that his children will have the best education at the Vaimea Primary School.

"With the knowledge that the teachers, especially the principal are succeeding in these areas of studies to improve the knowledge of the students, I am blessed to have my children under their care," he said.

Having Tonuu has the school principal is a "dream come true" for the school, added Mr. Pereira as she is already having an impact on the children's learning with her new-found expertise. 

The school principal acknowledged the assistance of the Government, the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture (MESC) and the N.U.S. for the role they played in upskilling her by letting her undergo postgraduate studies. 

She said the effort is not about getting a piece of paper but to fill the void on how to help the students of Vaimea and Samoa in the art of literacy and improving their reading.

In an emotional time spent with the students, Tonuu challenged the students and said that if they (herself and her teachers) "can do it, the students can also do it".

"That is the spirit of our success and our will to have all these accomplishments is to provide you children with the best of studies and have a better future," she said in her speech to the students.

Early this year, a team from the America’s Applied Scholastic International were in Samoa to assist develop its study technology programme, in a bid to broaden the mindset of teachers with their responsibilities to their profession.

The key component of the training was to empower teachers through the learning of new expertise – which primarily targetted Year 1 to Year 4 level students – in order for them to have a better understanding of lessons in classrooms. 

The Vaimea Primary School was one of the schools in Samoa that they monitored. The school has an enrollment of 875 students and 20 staff members.