The Office of the Regulator (O.O.T.R.)celebrated Girls in Information Communication Technology (I.C.T) Day  in a ceremony held at the Samoa Conference Centre at T.A.T.T.E. Building yesterday morning. 

The celebration held every year on the 27th of April is about inspiring and motivating girls from chosen colleges to participate in competitions and activities hosted by the Office of the Regulator.  

A.C.E.O. Regulator, Fesola’i Cecily Faasau-Iakopo says the O.O.T.R. has stepped up for this year in motivating the young girls of Samoa taking up I.C.T. career paths for the future.

“This celebration every year is for the girls opening up their minds to take I.C.T. courses. It goes out to all the girls and we want them to know this career of becoming an I.T.  opens doors to many opportunities in life for a better future.

“We see that this job in I.T. is usually done by males in our country but what we expect after today’s session is that there are girls joining and hoping to become involved in I.T. in the future.

“It’s very important because as of today, we are trying to encourage girls to choose a career path not only for them in aiming of becoming a doctor, lawyer and etc but choosing to be involved so it will help  them to be a part of the development of their families and our country and for themselves as well.

Mrs Faasau said that the Regulator knows that girls can contribute in the world as I.T people and that it is not only a career for men.

“Being an I.T does give people an opportunity to explore what is happening in the world and by joining big organizations in the world it  gives you many skills and a lot of knowledge of what is happening in our world right now.

“We hope by the end of today’s celebration. the girls will see for themselves that they can also pick up the right career path in taking up an I.C.T. job not only aiming to be lawyer or a doctor but there are opportunities in the  I.C.T. to find other jobs.Guest Speaker for the Girls in I.C.T day was Gisa Lematua Fuatai Purcell, the Regional Advisor for the Pacific-Commonwealth Telecommunications Union who talked about her career in participating in the Communication and Technology workplace.

 “Honesty is very important” she said.

“That is what I keep on trying and trying even though I know it’s hard but I give all my best to become an expert I.T person.“I challenge the young girls of Samoa who are here today to try to become an I.T. expert in the future. It’s exciting and motivating at the same time but honesty is the main thing and if you believe in yourself.” 

The one-day celebration concluded with a prize giving for the  Short Video Clip and Quiz Competition where Angelee Vaai Paulo of St Mary’s College took out the first prize.

The e expectation next year is that Savaii will be hosting the fourth I.C.T Day in the hopes to have more girls taking up I.C.T. careers. 

“That’s our aim for next year for some colleges from Savaii to see and know what this special day is about and to let them know the importance of Girls in I.C.T Day that we are celebrating not only in Samoa, but worldwide.

Mrs Faasau-Iakopo also thanked the following sponsors for their generosity and for making “Girls in I.C.T” day, possible.   

“Digicel, BSP, TV1, SCB, Comptech, SSAB, Skyeye, Vailima Samoa, TV3 and EFKS TV. Thank you very much,” she said.