Established by the Good Samaritan Sisters in 2009, the Centre provides pre-school learning opportunities for children aged three to five years.

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and Senator Claire Moore, Labour's Shadow Minister, were on a three-day visit to Kiribati.

"I was really pleased to visit the Early Childhood Centre and see the good work that the Good Samaritans were doing," said Fierravanti-Wells.

"There was a great sense of community with both children and parents there to welcome us,."

Fierravanti-Wells is a former student of a Good Samaritan School, St Mary's Star of the Sea College, Wollongong, in New South Wales.

Last year she met up with Sister Clare Condon, Congregational Leader of the Good Samaritan Sisters.

Condon encouraged the senator to visit the sisters in Kiribati and see the work of the Centre first-hand.

Moore said the visit to the Good Samaritan Early Childhood Centre was "very special".

"The long-standing dedication of the sisters was evident in the historical photographs at the Centre, and the clear commitment to the future of education for Kiribati children," she said.

Good Samaritan Sister Kakare Biita, Director of the Good Samaritan Early Childhood Centre, said she and Sister Tuata Terawete were "very happy to welcome our important guests from Australia".

In her welcoming address Biita spoke about the history of the Good Samaritan Sisters' presence and ministry in Abaokoro.

She outlined the planned development of the Centre, which includes the construction of an additional classroom and staff area.

"We are very honoured for their visit," said Kakare, "especially for the visit of Senator Honourable Concetta, a former student of a Good Samaritan School, and we admired her as a woman gifted for leadership."

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• Good Oil
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"When it comes to Early Childhood Education, I know that has to start from the church," he said.

"I believe the church has the initiative to make this happen considering the fact that all church ministers have their own Sunday schools."

"My suggestion is for every village to hold a meeting (fono) where everyone; starting from the church ministers, chiefs and their wives, the youth (aumaga) and all the women should be present."

"It is everyone's duty in a village to push and encourage children to attend school for their own good."

"The parents can go about doing their work once their children are in school, knowing there are teachers to look after them."

"It will be a good opportunity to have the youth of the village that are not teachers to be trained and employed as teachers so they can also contribute."

Early childhood education will soon be part of compulsory education legislation in Samoa following last year's government nation-wide human capacity index survey.

The result of the survey has shown that only 30 percent of the children from three to five years of age are enrolled for early childhood education.

The ministry is now looking at increasing to over 50 percent enrolment in the next ten years.

The CEO of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Afamasaga Dr Karoline Fuata'i, said there are difficulties faced by some parents such as the location of the schools are too far or they are too busy with other family commitments.

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• radionz.co.nz
• sobserver.ws
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