A report has revealed primary and secondary school student dropout rates for Samoa and is pointing to the challenge of keeping students in the classroom.

According to the Government-sanctioned report “Samoa’s Second Voluntary National Review”, it is a challenge keeping students in class as confirmed by declining primary school completion rates and secondary schools transition rates.

The secondary school completion rate declined between 2016–2018 for Year 12 (from 62.65 per cent to 54.1 per cent) and Year 13 (from 71.4 per cent to 35.95 per cent) for both male and female students.

The low completion rate for Year 13, which was a decline from 44.4 per cent in 2016 to 35.95 per cent in 2018 is a concern, the report emphasised. It also noted the completion rate among females was higher for both Year 12 and 13 than males.

The report also looked at the transition rate from Year 13 to post-secondary education and training (P.S.E.T.), which it found increased from 68 per cent in 2015 to 69 per cent in 2017 and 2018.

And also discovered a high dropout rate for students in Years 11 to 13 from 20 to 24 per cent (Year 11) and 24 to 30 per cent (Year 13) between 2015 and 2019. However, net enrolment for secondary education increased 5 per cent between 2016 (68 per cent) and 2018 (73 per cent).

Nevertheless, the high level of sustained Government investment in education has resulted in overall positive results in access to education, stated the report, especially in the primary and secondary school levels with an average of 102 per cent rate in primary level and around 72 per cent for secondary level in 2017 and 2018.

And while the report acknowledged that there are similar enrolment rates for girls and boys in primary school, it noted a 12 per cent difference in secondary school with a higher number of girls.

About 80 per cent of children complete primary school in Samoa and the rate has remained consistent between 2012 and 2016, although there was a slight decrease from 80.2 per cent in 2016 to 78.4 per cent in 2018.

In another report titled “Samoa Youth Monograph 2020” issued through the Samoa Bureau of Statistics and was based on analyses data collected in the 2016 Samoan Population and Housing Census, also emphasised that despite progress made by Samoa in increasing primary school completion rates and attaining gender parity, significant challenges remain in increasing secondary completion rate, where there is a high drop-out rate.

“Significant disparities also remain in completion rates for males and females, and for youth with disabilities.

“Furthermore, geographical inequities exist with the Savai’i region showing comparatively lower completion rates than the national average.

“The percentage of students progressing from primary to secondary school declined from 93.7 per cent in 2014 to 86.5 per cent in 2018.”

The report also stated that school dropout rates are of concern in Samoa with 32.2 per cent of males dropping out by Year 13 with a corresponding figure of 27.9 per cent for females.

The completion rate for secondary school has also declined overall by 10 per cent between 2016 and 2017. 

There is also an issue with gender equity, stated the report. In 2014, female youth were more educated than males with 27 per cent of female youth completing secondary education as compared to 23 per cent of male peers.

“Barriers to achieving educational outcomes can include issues with demand – large numbers of students dropping out – as well as supply issues in making quality education accessible to all youth.”