One of Samoa’s largest colleges has postponed its entrance exams and parents day in response to the declaration of a state of emergency for measles.

Avele College Principal, Lesaisaea Reupena Matafeo, told the Samoa Observer in an interview that their 300-plus Year 8 primary school students who registered will not sit the examinations scheduled for 23 November 2019.

“We are currently looking at 300-350 students to sit the examinations that will enable them to have a place in one of the eight Year 9’s classes for our school next year which is made up of around 30 students each class,” he said.

The registered students were supposed to sit for their English and mathematics examinations, which Lesaisaea said if they passed will enable them to be considered along with their Primary Education Certificate of Achievement (S.P.E.C.A.) results. 

“We have noticed that some parents when they come to register their children they also bring with them the rest of their children and that itself is a risk we do not want to make,” he said. “But we have also asked the parents they can get a reimbursement of their $20 per student if they wish but other parents did not wish to do that, instead they are willing to wait for their children to sit the exams.”

Lesaisaea said the college’s parents day which was scheduled for November 26 has also been postponed.

“Parents were supposed to be the only ones permitted to come and pick up their children’s report cards and prizes for those that came first in classes,” he said. “Our trophies and prizes for this year’s award winners are worth $10,000 thanks to kind donors and students will receive these awards. Another donor is our Avele College Old pupils Association (A.C.O.P.A.) from New Zealand were also planning to donate trophies and prizes and rugby jerseys.”

Lesaisaea added that the safety of all students is a priority hence their decision to postpone the events.