Samoa Stationery and Books’ (S.S.A.B.) has launched its 2016 Back to School campaign, featuring $20,000 worth of prizes, discounts, scholarships and community group donations.

Managing Director, Fiti Leung Wai, said she understands that this is a difficult time of the year for many parents and S.S.A.B. want to help as much as possible.

 “I know the financial struggles that us parents go through in putting our kids through school,” she said. “My aim therefore is to reduce the price of back to school products to lessen the load for us parents.”

A core component of this year’s Back to School campaign, and a value held by the S.S.A.B. company, is the importance of supporting quality education, in order to create opportunities and inspire success.

This is reflected in S.S.A.B’s latest campaign through the year-long support the company has pledged to offer schools and their students, with initiatives such as their mobile stationary service and the SSAB and New Zealand Prime Minister’s Junior Fellow Award, established last year.

The scholarship comprises of $1,000 in total, $500 for school fees and the remaining $500 to go toward books and stationery, in addition to becoming part of S.S.A.B’s apprenticeship program.

Last year’s recipients, Grace Ah Young and Joycemarie Toafa spoke highly of the award, crediting the honour with helping each of them to understand the importance of reading, expanding their horizons, and improving their academic performance. 

This year, the award is offering ten scholarships to school students from across Samoa, for which the seven highest purchasing schools in Upolu and the three highest in Savai’i will be asked to select a candidate who has displayed a high level of academic excellence and leadership qualities that year. 

Entry cards will be available when making a S.S.A.B. purchase and all schools from primary to tertiary are eligible.

In addition to committing their company to long term support of school and community groups across Samoa, Mrs. Leung Wai also introduced the M.E.S.C and S.S.A.B’s Literacy Week Project, whereby they will work together to supply books to the Nelson Memorial Library in Apia, the Salafai Library in Salelologa, the Library at the Paediatric Ward at the National Hospital at Motootua and the Samoa Victim Support Group’s School of Hope.