Teachers

Samoa's Government has announced a five-day school break for students beginning on Monday, to help control an influenza outbreak that began seven weeks ago and raise the measles vaccination rate.

The Government said it's a precautionary measure, in reponse to an escalating number of influenza cases which it has described as "alarming".

According to the Ministry of Health there have been 2,441 hospital admissions since the outbreak began with 70 of the cases classified as severe.

The chief executive of the Ministry of Education, Afamasaga Karoline Afamasaga Fuata'i, said villagers should reintroduce the old practice of providing housing for teachers who are not from the village they are assigned to teach in.

The government provides the teachers and supplies learning materials but it is the responsibility of the village to build school buildings and houses for teachers, Afamasaga said.

She told Newsline Samoa there were already schools that had built accomodation for teachers.

A bill has been passed in parliament, creating the body to oversee the work of local teachers.

The Prime Minister says the council will bring teachers in line with other professions such as dentists, accountants and engineers.

CEO Matafeo Falanaipupu Tanielu Aiafi says the creation of the council will benefit the children of Samoa.

Twenty two positions are currently being advertised including five jobs for principals and eight jobs at the main secondary school Tereora College.

There are also seven other vacancies at primary and secondary schools in the country.

A Director of Human Resources with the government Terry Utaga says an example of the problem is the field of accounting where potential applicants for an accounting teacher job prefer to stick to higher paying jobs outside teaching.