P.M. slams teachers with “thick brains,” wants schools to start at 9am

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 17 September 2018, 12:00AM

For the safety and welfare of students, all schools should heed the advice from the Government to start classes at 9am. 

That’s the message from Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi as the country prepares for daylight savings which begins on 30 September and lasts until April next year.

 “Some teachers just have thick brains, they are not thinking properly,” said Prime Minister Tuilaepa, adding that daylight savings is important to Samoa.

Tuilaepa is unclear why some private schools don’t heed the advice by the Government to change their starting time from 8am to 9am, similar to the working hours for the government. 

The Prime Minister was concerned about the safety of young girls who leave their homes while it’s still dark to catch the bus to school. 

“All government schools have been given directives to change the time school starts but some schools are not heeding this advice,” he said. 

“The problem is that no matter the explanation I give to change the starting time for classes, some people just don’t want to understand.” 

Tuilaepa said another reason Samoa opted for daylight saving is because it saves electricity and money.

Daylight saving was approved by Cabinet in pursuant to the Daylight Saving Act 2009. 

  “The businesses and the general public are hereby advised that daylight saving time ends on Sunday, April 1, 2018,” a public statement by the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour said.  

“The public is therefore advised that when the standard time strikes the hour of four o’clock (4:00am) on April 1, 2018, then all instruments used to measure standard time are to be adjusted/changed to three o’clock (3:00am). 

“However, we advise that you adjust your time an hour back before you retire to bed on Saturday night, March 31.”  

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 17 September 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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