Classes in schools across the country have resumed as students and teachers opened the 2021 academic year.

Following a disrupted 2020 that initially began with a measles outbreak in late 2019, followed by the COVID-19 global pandemic in early January, education officials hope this year will be less disruptive for the students.

Bus stops had a lot of students and some school car parks experienced traffic jams as parents took in their children for enrolment.

Falefitu Primary School Principal, Taialii Pifolaumalesuafa Maota, told the Samoa Observer that they are thankful that classes have resumed for this year. 

He said the measles outbreak the year before and the pandemic that followed last year had a big impact on the students’ progress.

Despite the country continuing to record no positive COVID-19 cases, Taialii added that they will continue to follow the Government’s state of emergency orders.

Having only assumed the role of School Principal recently, he said there will be no changes to the programme formulated and distributed to the schools by the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C.).

He said that the goal is for the students to receive good education this year and get equal opportunities as well as for education to reach a higher level.

Taialii explained that some challenges would be time management for the classes as organisations might visit the school throughout the year, though the pandemic will continue to present problems as the M.E.S.C. works with the Ministry of Health (M.O.H) to let students know how to prevent the disease.