Irae Kapeneta Mo'a of Tufutafoe village in Savai’i is the dux of the Early Childhood Teachers Training Institute for this academic year.

Her academic achievements were recognised in the graduation ceremony at the National Council of Early Education Education on Tuesday afternoon. It was attended by the Minister of Education Sports and Culture, Seuula Ioane as well as teachers and families and friends of the graduating class.

Mrs. Mo'a is currently a teacher at the Peace Chapel Primary School having started teaching there during the school's last quarter of the year.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer after the prize presentation ceremony, she said she was elated at her success and praised God for her achievements.

One of the students who started classes during the last quarter of 2020, she continued onto the first quarter of this year before completing the course and meeting the requirements to graduate.

She paid tribute to her family and her village for their support, saying it was not easy travelling to attend classes but she made it.

"I am so happy as well. Happy, thankful, not only am I from Savai’i but the village where the sun sets at Tufutafoe, where I am from,” she said. 

“It is not easy coming to school, coming by bus, ferry, car, all of that, money was spent on everything. 

“I am thankful and happy because I have successfully achieved this, it's something that I thank my parents, family and especially the support of my village and my church.”

Mrs. Mo'a also acknowledged her church minister and his wife as well as everyone who supported her throughout her journey.

But this is not the end of the road for the Savai’i teacher – who now resides in Fasito'o tai which is her husband’s village where she resides with her family – as she is keen to take another path and is eyeing the director of education position.

"It doesn't end here. I am sure that the end of one step is a start of another part for me," she said.

"When I returned to the classroom I told my family and my husband I would go until I have achieved my goal to become director of education."

Asked about advice she would give to chose considering teaching as a career, Mrs. Mo'a said that she had given a challenge to everyone she has studied together with.

"On the first day of school this year, students from last year were given an opportunity to give motivation and advice and support to the new students to motivate them in their studies," she said.

Mrs. Mo'a said she stood up and shared her story of staying home for 10 years and not returning to school. 

"But when I come to school I believe that I will go and put my heart into it and give all of my knowledge to my studies," she said.

"I stayed home for 10 years but I believed that was God's plan for me during those 10 years so I could stay and know the difficulty. 

“I stayed to find out what God's calling for me in the future."

In 2010 Mrs. Mo'a left studies, while preparing to finish the second semester at the National University of Samoa, and got married and returned to studies in July 2020 before graduating on Tuesday.