Teachers routinely work beyond contractual obligations.

 Acknowledging this effort with a prize giving can have a replenishing effect on them in the long run.

That’s why Vaimea Primary School Principal, Tonu’u Fuamoli Amituanai Misi, and the School’s committee celebrated the end of another academic year in style at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel on Thursday evening.

“All principals are eager to recognize their star teachers and staff members and personally recognizing teachers in these ways can help highlight the qualities they value most,” Tonu’u said.

“Rewarding the best teachers and team leaders with best performance, most creative and other awards can help them set the standards and even raise the bar in their performances.

“So personally, this is a very useful tool to cheer them up in readiness for the next school year.”

This is the second year since they initiated these rewards.

“This serves as a message to my staff as to what is valued, what is expected, and where we’re heading. 

“I know that all teachers and the school are better when teachers have leadership roles and receive recognition for their hard work.”

The prize giving awards included awards for team leaders, best performance, most creative, best at organising school programmes, best coaches, most reliable teachers, best level of the year and others. 

Head of Education Department and Senior Education Lecturer at the National University of Samoa, Fuaialii Dr. Tagataese Tupu Tuia reminded everyone that teachers are the backbone of the society.

“Teacher’s job is full of responsibilities and challenges because not every students is the same and thus the teacher has to be dynamic and adopt different teaching patterns for different students,” Fuaiali’i said.

“Teaching is a social practise and more than knowledge, a teacher must be a good human being who can very well shoulder the responsibility of his or her job and understand the aspects of career growth and future prospects in their desired fields.

“They have always been special and will continue to do so in all times to come.”