The Government of Japan continues to provide development assistance within
communities and educational sector which benefits villages, schools, hospitals, and
NGOs, across Samoa.
The Leauvaa village council, villagers, School Committee, students, staff and principal
of Leauvaa Primary School celebrated the handing-over of a new reconstructed school
building earlier today (4 September) held at the school compound.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Samoa, H.E. Mr.
TERASAWA Genichi represented his government at the handover ceremony attended by
Hon. Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Fatialofa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, Hon. Minister of
Education, Sports and Culture, Loau Solamalemalo Keneti Sio, Cabinet Ministers and
CEO of Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Afamasaga Dr. Karoline Afamasaga.
Japan’s assistance was formalized in March last year, with a grant amount of USD
95,736 (approximately SAT246,805.88) provided under its Grant Assistance for Grass-
Roots Human Security Projects (GGP) to fund reconstruction of 8 new classrooms, a
staff room and a library.
Support towards education has always been placed highly on Japan’s priority list as
believed that education is the base for developing a child’s capability and also a nation’s
capacity.
Thus, the assistance through this project indicates Japan’s commitment to the
improvement of educational facilities to provide equal learning opportunities and
dispatching experts for capacity development of teachers particularly in the fields of
science and mathematics. The two academic subjects are essential for higher education
including university and studying abroad.
It is anticipated that the project will empower the school with the best of resources to
achieve academic excellence and will greatly assist in the improvement of literacy in the
community as well as accommodating the school’s growing roll.
Japan’s GGP was introduced in 1991 to respond directly to the basic human needs at the
grass-roots level with 196 projects successfully completed at a total value approximately
USD 16m (SAT 40m).
Ends.
