Unregistered voters rush to claim the $150 Back to School package

By Jeannie Penehuro/

Apia, SAMOA – 3 March 2026: The Office of the Electoral Commission at Mulinu’u has experienced an unprecedented influx of unregistered voters over the past two days, as they flock to register in order to claim the $150 Back to School assistance package.

The voter’s rolls used in last years general elections, is one of the official records being used to verify people claiming the $150 tala per person assistance to support families for the new school year.

While some citizens registered as voters this week had just turned 21, many more are above the voting age but did not register when the Electoral Office was engaged in a national campaign for voters’ registration in 2024 and last year.

These people have been forced to register as the way to verify their identities and residency and electoral constituency in order to be entitled to the $150 tala grant.

Sefo Ilalio, a 24-year-old resident of Afega has just registered as he turned 21 last December and did not vote in the August 2025 general elections.

“The reason I’m here is because I just turned 21 last December. I am grateful for the $150 assistance, as it supports families and children’s education. I sincerely hope the $1 million program continues,” he said.

Tepatasi Isamaeli, aged 28 and from Manono, explained his reasons for visiting the office.

“I came to complete my registration because I was overseas when the election took place. I am a strong supporter of the $150 Back to School package as it helps families with school expenses. It would be wonderful if the grant is extended,” he stated.

The recent surge in registrations is seen as a positive step as people especially parents are moving to complete official documentations such as birth certificates for their children which is one of the major reasons children are not enrolled to attend school.

 Aana Alofi 1, is one of the first constituencies to pay out their back to school packages last weekend and paid out close to $400,000 to over 3,000 residents with more still to claim their entitlements.

Those below 21 have to provide their birth certificates and other information to confirm their identity and all recipients have their small fingers painted as further confirmation of their receipt of the money.

Close to ten constituencies have started paying out the package out of $1.8m funding that districts have to use before the current financial ends in June.

The payment is being used by the Government to collect data and cross check on the country’s population as the last census grew by over 10,000 as individuals were counted more than once as the counting used $50 tala payout to individuals under the National ID project.