Two primary schools have signed off on Japanese government funding assistance for two school projects.

The Fagafau Samata-i-tai Primary School and Moata'a Primary School are the first recipients in the new year of funding assistance under Japan's Grant Assistance Programme to upgrade and reconstruct their school buildings.

The signing ceremony to finalise the funding assistance was held at the Japanese Embassy in Apia between the two school’s committees and Japan’s Ambassador to Samoa, Genichi Terasawa.

The Fagafau Samata-i-tai Primary School has been given $238,000 tala (US$92,481) for the renovation of their school building which is over 10-years-old.

School Principal Faimanu Toesea said the signing will bring joy to the village and the school, knowing their building will be repaired.

The work will comprise repairing of the roof, the renovation of classrooms, replacing fittings for windows and doors, the refurbishment of the library and staff room as well as its repainting.

"A challenge was that it is not too long ago building but because of the photos and evaluation by the Embassy themselves, they found that we really do need to renovate," he said.

"But thankfully they have answered our need and that most of our building problems will be fixed."

Over 200 students attend Fagafau Samata-i-tai Primary School in Savai’i which has seven teachers.

Moata'a Primary School received $350,000 tala (US$136,015) for the reconstruction of a 40-year-old school building. 

The school was founded in 1952 and has survived many natural disasters and undergone several major repair works over the years, making it costly for the village and the school to maintain.

The new construction comprises 10 new classrooms, a library and a staff room as well as a new toilet ablution block.

Funding for both primary schools comes from Japan’s Grassroots Human Security Projects, which was introduced in Samoa in 1991. A total of 109 projects have been implemented under the programme in the field of Education.