The school graduations and prize-giving ceremonies are upon us. This signifies the end of a successful year for many students. It is a day to celebrate the hard academic year that 2024 has been.

It has been a tough year for students and teachers alike. The year was rushed as students had to deal with a crammed-up course because of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The year was shorter, resulting in harder work by the students.

Teachers were seconded for various CHOGM duties as well. This meant less time to prepare students and rushing off to finish the school year. Despite those challenges, many students have made it to the end of the year. Some have done well and some not so well.

For those who have done well, as you move forward, you can improve on what you have done and grow in your career. To those who have not, it simply means that there is an opportunity to try again. If Alexander Fleming had given up on his search to eradicate infections, he would not have discovered penicillin or if Edward Jenner had decided that he could not do it anymore, the world could be without vaccination.

Celebrate success and do not be defeated by failure. Parents and teachers play an important part in encouraging children who have not done well, to continue their education to make a better life for themselves.

Education is the only way to improve the quality of life. It results in better-paying work, filling labour shortages and advancing the nation. For this to happen, education has to be accessible and affordable, if not free. Education is an expensive affair in Samoa and continues to get steeper.

This is one of the main reasons why the number of children not attending school and street vending is increasing. Education will help them and the next generation of children from such families attain a better life and a way out of poverty.

There are children in villages whose families cannot send them to school. They engage in early employment without realising their full potential. The use of district grants towards funding education is required. The grants are being wasted on things that do not have returns, education will provide that.

If the government is not going to take steps towards having free education, the grants need to be used for that purpose. There is also a shortage of teachers. There is a need for 200 teachers just to fill in the current gaps. There are schools where three teachers are charged with educating Years One to Eight. There has also been an issue with the intake as the number of those taking up teaching has also dropped despite it being a fully funded course.

All teachers should be made civil servants and paid salaries that would discourage many from switching careers or running off to seasonal work schemes. Make the profession lucrative and more people will take up studies.

There is a lot that needs to be done to improve education. People with disabilities are not getting the same opportunity to access education. There are not enough schools that teach disabled children and there is also a marked shortage in special needs teachers.

Quality and accessible education is the duty of the government. It was also an election promise, fulfil it.