Students attending the Faletagaloa Safune Preschool in Savai'i will begin using a new school building when classes get underway this week. 

This is after the opening of their new school building and compound at Faletagaloa Safune last Friday. 

The Faletagaloa preschool is under the administration of the Women’s Fellowship or Mafutaga a Tina for the Faletagaloa Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, and had been in operation since 2013.

The school had been using the church’s property and compound since then. However, starting today, the children will start using their new school building. 

Reverend Poloma Kuka of the Methodist church at Faletagaloa Safune officiated at the service to bless the new school building. 

He used the opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of educating and nurturing their children from an early age. Moreover, he also spoke on how collective effort is needed from everyone in raising children the right way. 

His wife, Saofa’i Poloma was given the honour of cutting the ribbon.

Tuliatu Iosua, a deacon of the C.C.C.S at Faletagaloa and a high chief of the village articulated that the event was a “dream come true.”

“Since the beginning of this school, we have been wishing for a proper school building for our children,” Tuliatu told the Samoa Observer.

“The initiative to start a preschool in the village came from our pastor and his wife and was well supported by our congregational.

“After sometimes, we’ve decided that it was time to have our own school building and today, we are just grateful and thankful to the Lord for making this possible.”

Like many other things in life, Tuliatu said there were a few obstacles along the way.

“Financially, we struggled at first trying to get funding so we can start the work right away. Since the beginning of the year, we looked at areas where we can get help financially.

“We got help when our request to the C.C.C.S got approved and we started the work right away in August.

“The total cost of the new school building and compound totals up to more than $50,000WST.”

There are now more than 30 students from the village attending Faletagaloa Preschool.