Agreement prioritises national standard of education

By Nefertiti Matatia 13 October 2017, 12:00AM

The National University of Samoa (N.U.S) continues to provide a high standard of education for its students after the second signing of a memorandum between the N.U.S and the Samoa Qualifications Authority yesterday.

The M.O.U was signed by the Chairperson of S.Q.A’s Board of Directors, Gatoloaifa’ana Tilianamua Afamasaga and N.U.S Vice Chancellor, Professor Fui Asofou So’o.

The agreement is designed and implemented to achieve one of S.Q.A’s strategic goals to strengthen its working relationships with its partners in the Post School Education Training (P.S.E.T) sub-sector. 

It also assures that S.Q.A’s Quality Standards will continue to be met by N.U.S on an annual basis through the Annual Registration Renewal (A.R.R) and Programme accreditation processes. 

“We now continue with what we have been doing, in terms of our quality assurance processes,” said Professor Fui. 

“Every three years, every programme within the N.U.S is reviewed externally from outside experts in their respective disciplines. With those external reviews we get recommendations and we implement those recommendations.”

These reviews play a vital role within the development of the education system within Samoa to be recognized internationally to other universities and other countries.

Professor Fui said that by having qualifications of the university registered with S.Q.A, it is saying that we have looked at this and we are happy with the quality of this qualification.

He believes that it is important to have qualification assurance and he acknowledged the work of the S.Q.A.

He added that many people are not aware that Samoa exists or know where it is; but someone somewhere may ask if there is such a university called the N.U.S and do they offer the same qualifications as their university.

That is the value of having a qualification framework and an institution like the S.Q.A.

S.Q.A’s goal is to strengthen its working relationship with its partners in the Post School Education Training (sub-sector).

According to Professor Fui, this understanding brings together the N.U.S and S.Q.A in terms of moving forward and working together that the mandates of the two different institutions are met.

He added that there were challenges in the past few years due to different sets of mandates and regulations that were made.

N.U.S is mandated by its 2010 Act to provide education and training including academic, technical and vocational training that responses to the needs of the people of Samoa. 

On the other hand, S.Q.A’s Act directed the Authority to coordinate and provide strategic advice to government for P.S.E.T to maximise the value of education and training for all learners. N.U.S is a registered formal P.S.E.T provider with S.Q.A. 

By Nefertiti Matatia 13 October 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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