4 May 2015
PRESS RELEASE
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC) in partnership with the Ministry of Police (MOP) completed another round of spot-check visits for Compulsory Education in Savaii last week, targeting school children as street vendors during school hours. This is part of its ongoing enforcement for Compulsory Education pertaining to the Education Act of 2009. These spot checks have been effective in ensuring that children at the ages of 5-14 years old are in schools during the stipulated school hours.
MESC and Police run spot-checks in Savaii
Visits covered the whole of Savai’i identifying the most common areas where children are always seen selling goods during school hours. Many children were found selling goods along the road, in front of shops and at the Salelologa Market. They were approached by Attendance Officers from MESC and MOP questioning their names, villages, schools and reasons for not attending school. Parents and guardians were also questioned as well as reminding them again of the Education Act 2009 with the consequences of not taking their children to school.
Both ministries will continue to conduct these spot-checks to ensure that parents and guardians are reminded about the importance of education and taking their children to school.
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