Fetalai Tuilulu’u and Aruna Lolani asked the people on the street whether they thought their kids should be taught in Samoan, English or both languages Here are their thoughts: 

Asenati Tupa 42

Faleasi’u

To me personally, I prefer that my kids be taught in both Samoan and English. For all we know life is moving forward and the way I see it, you can’t get a job if you don’t know both languages. 

Moreen Pealua 28

Leusoali’i

I agree that my two kids should be taught in both Samoan and English. But I want them to take Samoan language seriously because it is our mother tongue. 

I encourage them to learn English but that is after they are good at the Samoan language. 

Tusitala Titiana 54

Saleimoa

Honestly I don’t want my kids to learn the English language because I don’t want them to be living palagi lives. Once they learn the English language they will consider themselves palagi people and act in palagi ways. 

I won’t allow that to happen to them.  

Seti Afamasaga 27

Saleimoa

We are Samoan and we know the Samoan language better. It’s time to teach the kids to learn English because life is moving forward and we are all adapting to the fa’apalagi life. So in the next three years every school in Samoa will be teaching and learning English. 

So my three kids are encouraged to learn both. 

Afega Ali’imalumalu 54

Neiafu Savai’i 

I have three kids and they all go school. The fact that we live in Savai’i and we live in rural areas, my kids are not encouraged to learn English. I want them to learn our language and if they do know how to speak English, then that’s fine but I don’t encourage them because Samoa is our culture and they should be very mindful how important our language is to us all.