The Ministry of Education Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C) has launched new Early Childhood Education learning materials.

On Friday morning at the T.A.T.T.E conference room, the Ministry launched the Tusi o Mataupu Aoaoina mo Aoga Amata, Tomatau mo Faiaoga o Aoga Amata, Taiala mo Aoaoga Sauoo and Samoa for Tomorrow Volume 1.

Assistant Chief Executive Officer of M.E.S.C., Mamea Vau Peseta Afamasaga, spoke about the importance of the books.

"The expectation is for children not to grow up and struggle in this generation. The books that you now see are some of the work of the Ministry and its partners, for the children of Samoa," Mamea said.

The Ministry hopes that the learning materials will be useful, with Mamea highlighting the critical role of teachers.

"Never forget the importance of your duties as a teacher to educate the children. If the foundation is strong, the house will be stable," she said.

In an interview with Samoa Observer, Mamea said the launch was supposed to have taken place earlier this year but it had to be delayed due to the measles epidemic.

"A lot of these materials that we just launched today are pertaining to guidelines for E.C.E schools," she said.

"One of these books refers to inclusive education as well. Samoa for tomorrow is a book of writings by secondary students. So these are resources that we are aiming to be used by the teachers and for the students to support the development and teaching and learning in schools," she said.

Asked when did the development of the E.C.E learning materials begin, she said, "Some of them go back to 2018, some in 2019."

"We had intended to launch this last year but unfortunately because of the measles, it got a bit delayed. So we have just found the opportunity to launch it now," she said.

Mamea explained that most of the activities happening in school are linked to these guidelines.

"It is also just building and ensuring we empower what is actually happening in the schools and developing a lot of the other stuff that we need to develop," she said.

"This is the work that came about because of the support of our donors, the E.C.E council, the Ministry, members from the inclusive education and our stakeholders so it is a composition of work that has been done over the years by relevant expertise and our stakeholders."