"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.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• sobserver.ws
• Image: static2.stuff.co.nz

This after the office of the prime minster has been advised that Islamic extremists could cause future instability.

Muslims accounted for 0.03 percent of the population at the 2001 census.

At present there is a small muslim population in Samoa that gathers at a mosque.

In 1986, the Samoan Muslims established the Western Samoa Muslim League.

A blog posted in 2001 said president was Mohammed Daniel Stanley a.k.a. Mohammed Bin Yahya a.k.a. Laulu Dan Stanley.

He was at that time 64 years old and a well known accountant and auditor who operates his own accounting firm.

Stanley had one room of his house at Vaiusu Village, which is located next to Apia, as an Islamic Centre and a mosque.

The Islamic activities involved general teaching of Islam and nightly Qur'anic lessons and the Friday prayers.

The constitution protects the right to practice any religion but doesn't rule out the establishment of an official state religion.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the country's constitution may be changed to recognise Christian principles and teachings, not just in the preamble.

Presently, the Christian references are only in the preamble and are not part of Samoa's law.

Tuila'epa says the proposed amendments will also look into religious practices.

The prime minister revealed the constitutional move at the 50th anniversary celebrations for the National Council of Churches.

He said Samoa is a Christianity-based country and that goes together with Samoan cultures and traditions.

Academics not in agreement

Professor Iati Iati from the University of Otago said the pervasiveness of Christianity in Samoa was one of the reasons for the country's stability, and the faith is fully integrated into the political and cultural structures.

But he said Samoa would be treading down a dangerous path to ban other faiths.

"I think the writers of the Samoa constitution were wise beyond their years and I don't think the government should be meddling with the constitution. I think it's pretty good as it is."

Dr John Shaver from the University of Otago says calls in Samoa to ban Islam stem from a lack of personal experience and ignorance fuelled by media stereotypes.

He said that in places where minority groups were that small, it was easy for ignorance to spread.

"The problem is a lack of information and when your personal experiences don't often lead you to interactions with peaceful muslims then you rely on the media."

"And we know that positive examplars of minority groups in the media are capable of reducing prejudice."

Professor Rex Ahdar from the University of Otago said the Christian churches in Samoa were simply looking to "protect their turf".

"And they harbour genuine fears, and let's face it, they're not totally without some foundation, fears about the growth of Islam which they've seen in other countries around the world including in the west," he said.

"Now you might say well that's just fair competition, shouldn't they have to compete in the religious marketplace like anyone else, but again like good monopolists, sorry to use all this economic analysis, they're protecting their market share."

Samoa Council of Churches calls for total ban on Islam

The Secretary General of the Samoa Council of Churches, Reverend Ma'auga Motu, said he would go a step further and ban the religion of Islam.

He said even though most Samoans are Christian, Islam poses a future threat to the country.

"We are not going too far, no," Reverend Motu said.

"We are still wanting our own people to be prevented from this kind of influence, even though there are so many people who are good people but still there are some dangerous people among them who might come and threaten our peace."

The Pacific Conference of Churches calls for dialogue

The General Secretary of the PCC, the region's grouping of Christian denominations, Reverend Francois Pihaatae, argued that the focus needs to be on dialogue.

"To create first that space where everybody can come in and discuss and dialogue," he said.

"But they have the right to do the decision but before that we have to first look at what our faith, as Christians, is telling us."
Source

• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: www.youtube.com

The prayer was conducted on Thursday, 4 September, as part of the OurVoices.net international campaign of people from diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds who are urging world leaders to agree to a strong climate treaty at the UN climate talks in Paris in December 2015.

Participants in the prayer included representatives of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Samoa Council of Churches (SCC), the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) and the UN.

Peter Emberson of the PCC offered a germinating coconut as a "symbol of hope and resilience in life" to Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Figueres, along with the former ambassador to the UN Dessima Williams, threw the coconut into the ocean, where it would inevitably find its way back to shore, grow, and show its resilience.

Source

• Anglican News Service
• Image: Anglican News Servce

Le'aupepe, who Chairman of Samoa's National Council of Churches, has urged girls and women to bite men who sexually assault them.

"In fact", he said "they should bite them hard enough to tear their skin off. This would be better, he said, than complaining about rape later."

Wendt Young says her response to his comments, which was published in the Samoa Observer newspaper, has ignited a healthy debate on the issue of rape culture.

She says it is almost a good thing these comments were made, as there is a mindset around rape that needs to be addressed.

But she says Deacon Kasiano needs to front up to the public outcry.

"I would love to see him make an apology or rethink and revisit some of the things that he said. Because I think for all the women, particularly those who have lived through abuse and rape, it is personally offensive and damaging to hear these things coming from someone in a position like his - a position of leadership and of great influence."

Read Wendt Young's Open Letter

Source

• Samoa Observer
• Radio Australia
• Radio New Zealand International
• Image:Samoa Observer

"Apart from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints and the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the other mainline churches - as well as the so-called charismatic churches - have been relatively quiet," said Mata'afa Keni Lesa.

The editorial provides comments from a number of readers claiming the mainstream churches have been doing little to support communities that have been affected by the cyclone.

Samoa's Council of Churches has dismissed public criticism. The council's general secretary, Reverend Maauga Motu, says many denominations, including Catholic, Methodist and Congregational churches, are helping out with relief efforts.

"We are among the leaders who are sorting out the most ruined people. And they are giving out monetary gifts to them, the amounts to help them with their rebuilding (of) their churches and the houses for the people. They are doing this for everyone who was devastated, food as well. They are giving out money, food, clothes and the prayer."

Earlier press releases from the Catholic aid agency, Caritas, said efforts were being made in New Zealand and locally to support communities that had been affected by the cyclone.
Source

• The Samoa Observer
• Radio New Zealand International
• Image: Mormonnewsroom.org.nz