The Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, with support from the Government of Japan and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, is launching a project on information communication technologies in education in Samoa with focus on the sustainable development agenda of leaving no on behind.
26.07.2021, Apia, Samoa: The Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture (MESC) is launching a project in support of integration of information communication technologies (ICT) in education, with support from the Government of Japan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The project, Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education in Samoa: Developing Resilient Education System through Online and Multimedia as the Countermeasure against COVID-19 Pandemic was approved by the Government of Japan funding of US$ 954,545 and technical assistance from UNESCO for the implementation of the project over 12 months.
Earlier in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread across the globe, Samoa closed the borders and schools. Since April 2020, UNESCO has assisted Samoa in connectivity, trainings and other means for continuity of education. The new ICT in Education project in Samoa will be supporting approximately 20 primary and secondary schools in both Upolu and Savai’i which are marginalized due to geographical location, cover low socio-economic status, have gender imbalance, include children with learning disabilities. The project aims to increase digital literacy for education, in particular among the teachers, to support blended teaching and learning and to enhance steps to redress digital-divide in education plans and strategies.
Speaking about the project, Afamasaga Karoline Afamasaga-Fuata’i, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of MESC stated: “the task of inclusive and resilient education system requires continuous attention – with this project, we are going to be able to connect 20 schools to the approved online learning resources and promote use of ICT for inclusion of children with disabilities.”
The Embassy of Japan which has been a long-standing supporter of education in Samoa. “Japan continues assistance for quality education in Samoa, based on the belief that a capacity development of teachers and better facilities, such as the ICT results quality education which brings a better future to the children and the country. This project will also encourage us to fight with the pandemic.” said Excellency Genichi TERASAWA, Ambassador of Japan to Samoa.
Nisha, Director of the Office and UNESCO Representative to the Pacific States said that ”The turbulent year and half, marked by COVID-19 pandemic, is forcing us to see the uniqueness of education resources on each island. Through this project, it is giving us to consider how technology and educators could respond to address inequalities in access, and teaching and learning resources for both students and teachers.”
The project will complement UNESCO’s ongoing work on a regional learning management platform and lifelong learning.
For further inquiries, please contact:
MESC: Nehru Mauala, ACEO, ICT and Media Division n.mauala@mesc.gov.ws
Embassy of Japan: Junsuke SUZUKI, First Secretary junsuke.suzuki@mofa.go.jp
UNESCO: Aya AOKI, Programme Specialist for Education a.aoki@unesco.org
