Plans by the Department of Education to move some divisions of the department now located in Utulei to the lower campus of Tafuna High School is not supported by the Tafuna High School Parent Teacher Association.
As announced at last week’s cabinet meeting by the Governor’s Chief of Staff Fiu Johnny Saelua, the ERATE building is to be relocated from Utulei to the lower campus of the home of the Warriors and a new office for DOE will also be built at the same site.
THS PTA President William Spitzenberg has written to the Director of Education Dr Ruth Matagi-Tofiga seeking her support for a petition to Governor Lolo to keep the lower campus as part of Tafuna High School “where it’s much needed.”
He tells the director that Tafuna is the most over crowded school and having the lower campus helps the school manage the many classes it offers and separates out its student body without overwhelming the upper campus and staff.
According to Spitzenberg THS has well over 1200 students and with the limited classrooms on the upper campus, the lower campus is very much needed.
“Its wide open field also serves as a place for the school’s many activities, including Samoan Day festivities, JROTC drills, practice field and other important uses.”
The buildings on the lower campus house Tafuna’s well known JROTC program, “which has provided many opportunities to our students to pursue successful careers in the Armed Forces,” wrote the PTA president. Many of Tafuna’s JROTC graduates serve our country well and have achieved high ranks and prestigious awards in the military.”
Spitzenberg pointed out that while the PTA understands DOE’s desire to relocate to Tafuna, they feel there are other options.
For example vacant land fronting DOE’s property next to the lower campus offers sufficient land for new DOE offices. There’s also Lions Park, with large vacant spaces that can be used for DOE offices while land around public schools should be reserved school expansion.
The Tafuna PTA plans to present their formal petition to Governor Lolo Moliga later this week and calls on the DOE Director to support their efforts to keep the lower campus of the school as part of Tafuna High School.
