Samoa’s annual Teuila Festival is underway in Apia and the event features more than just local food stalls and cultural entertainment.
The festival is being held alongside Literacy Week where the organisers have focused on reading, writing and mathematics.
“We the parents, villages, and the government need to work together. Our children’s learning is rock we must build together. Our partnership can foster the children’s education for tomorrow,” said Minister of Education sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio.
“We must all play a part in creating a brighter future for our children and the only way to do that is through education,” he added.
Literacy Week has become the most important educational programme in Samoa since its establishment in 2013 by Fiti Leung Wai and the Samoa Stationery and Books Company with the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture.
Its popularity has grown with the inclusion of primary schools and colleges from Savaii taking part in the programme.
“The programme introduces a very important message to our children and even our leaders in villages, that literacy and numeracy is needed in almost every part of our life, especially through communication,” said Minister Loau.
A reading is being held daily during Literacy Week where young readers are introduced to intensive reading.
Participating schools have been picked as winners from their respective zones in Samoa from competitions carried out by MESC and SSAB.