WIFI School Connectivity Project launched in 11 Schools in Savaii

Staff Reporters

SAVAII, 25 JULY 2022: Eleven colleges and Primary Schools in Savaii now have direct access to internet connectivity and the online classes through the Satellite fed WIFI Project.

The schools are in the Gagaifomauga No 3 district covering Letui, Sasina and Aopo villages, Itu Asau covering Asau to Falelima on the very western end of Savaii and Faasaleleaga No 1 district around Saleolologa Township.

The long awaited and much anticipated Savai’i School Connectivity Project for these schools was launched last Friday and the rest of the 50 schools and colleges on the island will be launched early August.

Students from Sasina Primary set a jubilant scene of welcome before and throughout the opening ceremony at Sasina that was officially opened by Reverend Panapa and the district MP, La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Bluewave Wireless Chief Operating Officer Togisala Tony Leota said, “This is a significant day to see this much needed project come to fruition and to be able to officially launch this important project for the Gagaifomauga and Vaisigano districts of Savai’i. This place holds a special place in my heart as it’s where it all started, here in Sasina.”

A happy mood among the students of the Sasina Primary School.

“It has been a significant journey over these last three years where we saw the need for safe and reliable WIFI access to the remote and rural areas to bridge the digital divide in these under-served geographical areas of Samoa.”

Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt said, “This is a great day, that this day has finally come to launch this important project.”

“This is an important program for the future prosperity of our children’s future. These machines and equipment we are putting up is for your teacher’s to use, and those who understand how to use this equipment, to use this technology to help you complete your school work.

Sasina was one of the schools the WIFI community project initiated by the FAST Party and Bluewave Wireless in late 2020 in response to the impact on classroom learning following the measles lockdown in 2019 but the project was eventually stopped by the caretaker government in the lead up to last year’s general elections.

“This is not a new project,” said La’auli. “We saw this project come into fruition in previous years, and we all know what happened then with the previous efforts for this project for this school.”

He congratulated Togisala Tony Leota and Bluewave Wireless for their patience and perseverance in all they had to go through to finally get to project working and launched.

The proceedings then moved to Itu Asau College and Auala Primary in Vaisigano No. 1 for the second part of the launch that was opened by Reverend Leala and the MP, Niuava Eti Malolo, Associate Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure.

Bluewave Wirlesss Togisala Tony Leota with Vaisigano No 1 MP and Associate Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Niuava Eti Malolo at the peojects launch.

Niuava Eti Malolo expressed his thanks to the Government of Samoa that this work has been carried out in his district.

“Thank you also Togisala and Bluewave Wireless for providing this “afi” (fire) as per the song “Ua alu atu le afi”, an asset for the benefit of school children in this district – this “afi” will shine brightly through the provision of these WIFI services in schools.”

“We wish the teachers all the best with their work, using this new resource to improve their teaching and service to the students and community,” said Minister

Niuava Eti Malolo, himself a former teacher, described his constituency as the furthest and the last of travellers from Upolu to reach their homes in Savaii.

“But this project now puts us directly in touch with everything, with the Ministry (of Education) and the outside world,” he said before cutting the ribbon to launch the he cut for his constituency.

Then things moved to the Salelologa Primary where Matamua Seumanu Vasati Pulufana, Minister of Justice and Courts Administration and Member of Parliament for Fa’asaleleaga No.1 district, the village matais and leaders of the district, the School Committee gathered to witness the project launch. The students put on a colourful performance, following the opening prayer and Ava presentation by the village.

The Salelologa primary students waiting for the projects launch to start.

Crucial to the project is the safety of students from accessing inappropriate material and content.

Togisala Tony Leota gave live demonstrations to confirm the utmost safety for students who will be unable to access any inappropriate sites after the opening ceremonies, at Sasina Primary School, Itu Asau College and Salelologa Primary for the local Reverend Ministers, village matai, principals, teachers, schools committees and college students.

Togisala confirmed that the schools cannot access unsafe and inappropriate sites, and demonstrated on a live screen that if students try to access these sites, they will be blocked.

Rev. Panapa from Sasina said that he was very happy and relieved to witness that these sites and videos are blocked, as this is an issue they are dealing with in the village as many young people are accessing these videos on their phones.  He thanked Bluewave Wireless for ensuring that children cannot access these sites at school and it will make their jobs easier as local pastors to promote this program to the children and their parents, now that they know it is safe.

Togisala also showed the impressive speed of their newly installed WIFI through a live speed test on screen and then played a live video on YouTube to demonstrate the speed and quality of the WIFI connection.

Togisala also reflected, “We know there have been a lot of negative words said about our company, but we give thanks to God for helping us complete this project.

Bluewave Wireless Togisala Tony Leta with members of the Salelologa School Committee after the projects launch.

“Three years ago we started this project when the Measles epidemic hit Samoa.  We could see what was happening with Measles at the time, that there was a real need in underserved rural areas for an alternative source of internet connectivity in Samoa,” he said.

When the COVID lockdowns first started in 2020, we were able to connect 40 schools in Savai’i.  We couldn’t wait for the Government at the time, we just did it using our own personal and company’s resources and through our connections in Savai’i, and we started with those who needed it most, schools and school children.”

120 schools will be connected under the WIFI schools project and after Savaii, the project will move to Manono & Apolima then to Upolu.

“We have waited three long years with trials and challenges along the way. But we are pleased this day is finally here and we wish the children of Samoa, and especially rural villages, all the best with the use of the WIFI in their schools,” Togisala Tony Leota said.