$18 million tala benefits for Samoa’s mission and private schools

There has been a 300 per cent increase in funding for education faculties outside of the Samoa Government’s public education system.

Church-run and private schools, Early Childhood Education and schools for those with special needs will benefit for the Government’s “One Common Grant” initiative, which will have $18 million tala at its disposal.

Savali Newspaper reports the “One Common Grant” initiative is the modernised version of the grant subsidy assistance paid out every year by Government.

According to the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, Loau Solamalemalo Keneti Sio, it reaffirms the “government’s commitment to invest in the future of the country through our children and developing the leaders of tomorrow.”

He made the comment in his address to support the estimates in the new fiscal year budget which starts 1 July.

Also included the new grant system will be funding for teachers’ salaries. “60% of the One Common Grant is designated to pay teacher salaries,” reassured Solamalemalo.
“Government wants quality teachers who are passion and committed to realise our target for our children to receive the best education,” he elaborated. Presently, only teachers employed in government schools are paid for by government.
And the One Common Grant to assist schools outside of the government sphere added the Education Minister is a reflection of the important role played by private and church schools in education.
“Education is a responsibility for government alone,” he said.
“But despite the challenges over the years, the church schools and most recently, private schools and early childhood institutions (ECEs)have shared this responsibility with the government.

“For that, government is recognizing your role through this grants assistance.”
The increase said Solamalemalo is the due MESC’s ingenuity to consolidate all funding grants and governments budget allocation.
Celebrating its 38th anniversary this year with a the new aggressive One Common Grant approach, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi recalled that when Parliament had rubbished and ridiculed the HRPP initiative to establish the annual Government subsidy in 1984 when it was first tabled before the House.

Tuilaepa noted that the assistance was launched in 1984 with a starting budget of $50-thousand tala. “Ou te manatua pea nisi o taofi na faalia I totonu ole Maota ina ua faalauiloa lea fesoasoani mo aoga a Ekalesia ma aoga tumaoti e faapea ua o mai le malo ale HRPP e faaoleole le atunuu ile $50 afe tala,” Palemia Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
And over the years, the annual education subsidy has gone from strength to strength with the new proposed budget of $18 million tala.

And while the funding has ballooned to where it is today due to the rapid increase in the number of students enrolled with church, private ECEs and schools for people with special needs, the Prime Minister said that government does not discriminate whether the recipients of these assistance are paying taxes or not adding that realizing such a huge undertaking would require the commitment of patriotic taxpayers to pay their dues.
For the new Fiscal Year, MESC is requesting a budget of over $103 million tala as outlined below;
1. Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture - $103.4million tala
• $72.6 million tala for the Ministry’s planned operations;
• $30.7 million for Transactions on Behalf of State.

The planned initiatives of the Ministry include the following major developments;
• $18 million for the One Government Grant to schools;
• $6.5 million for the Education Sector Support Program under the auspices of the New Zealand and Australian Government;
• $1.5 million for Teachers’ Scholarship program;
• $350,000 for the Samoa Rugby Union;
• $200,000 for Sports Development;
• $150,000 for the Samoa Netball Association;

The Ministry is also working in collaboration with its major development partners in the implementation of key projects of which the largest are:
• $2 million for Inclusive Education;
• $1.2 million for the Nursing Workforce Development Program;

The Budget debate continues.