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(for immediate release – Friday, June 8, 2007)
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Gov. Togiola addresses scholarship restructuring and professional training

(UTULEI) – Governor Togiola Tulafono in an official address today aired on KVZK-TV said the American Samoa Government will restructure its scholarship program because, in his words, “the results have been very disappointing with only a few past recipients graduating and return home to stay.”

Governor Togiola Tulafono, in his 20 minute address, also said “often, jobs are unavailable for the graduates. Many graduate from college but possess no skills.”

“With limited resources, we need to maximize the results of our investment. We must coordinate scholarships and our needs, cut losses, and establish conditions to insure return,” said Gov. Togiola. “We need to make certain our graduates return with skills that meet the manpower needs of our government and the community, and that there will be jobs for them here.”

The following is the entire address from Governor Togiola:

Scholarship Restructuring and ASG Professional Training

Presented by Gov. Togiola Tulafono
June 8, 2007 on KVZK-TV

“In my recent Flag Day speech, I promised more information on programs to prepare our youth for the future. I want to discuss in some detail the ASG Scholarship Program where scholarships are offered every year for high school and community college graduates and in relation to the manpower needs of our government

Our constitution on “encourage[s] qualified persons of good character to acquire education, local and abroad, both general and technical, and thereafter to return to American Samoa to the end that the people thereof may benefit (Title 1, Sec. 15)."

The ASG scholarship program (Title 25, ACSA) is developed from that constitutional wish. The law established a Scholarship Board to which it gave the responsibility to decide use of funds and select recipients. DOE administers the program. It is a difficult ongoing task for which Board members are not compensated. I commend the chairman, Rev. Ned Ripley, and members of the Board, for their dedicated service.

The constitutional wish is two-pronged. First, provide opportunities for graduates with potential to attend college off island. Two, that they return to serve the people. The ultimate goal is to have a government workforce of high caliber.

After monitoring it closely in recent years, I am convinced that to meet the constitutionally expressed goal, we must restructure the program in order to upgrade skills and qualifications of our public servants. Businesses, churches, and other organization also need workers with skills.

At present, there are three parts of the Scholarship Program:

1. The regular Scholarship and Student Loans. Annual appropriation: $2 million.

(a) Scholarships have been granted for over 20 years. Each year, about 25 high school graduates are awarded 4-year $7,000 scholarships to attend off­ island colleges. Awards are based on achieving a certain grade point average, and a score of 1,500 in the Student Aptitude Test (SAT). Top graduates of ASCC are also awarded two-year scholarships to continue studies off island. At present, there are 175 students on the scholarship program.

(b) The loan program was established in 1997 to accommodate students with good grades, but fall short of the scholarship requirements. Loans are $7,000 per year. Borrowers are screened and approved by the Scholarship Board. At present, 150 student borrowers are studying for bachelor degrees; and 25 for graduate and professional degrees. Total: 175.

In the past, the board awarded scholarships for graduate and professional studies. That part of the program was later cut because of failure to return.

Consequently, those who sought financial assistance to do graduate studies and professional training were directed to the student loan side of the program. The Board has a waiver program of up to 50% for students who return to work in American Samoa. I am pleased to announce once again the recent completion of doctor degree studies at the University of Hawaii by three local students – Ann Stanislaus, Tuamasaga Unutoa, and Miss Langkilde-Coleman. They were graduates of local high schools and attended college under our program.

But there is also a sad note. Most scholarship students do not return to stay. Some return and leave again, claiming inability to find jobs. Others refuse to accept jobs offered. Out of the 25 students sent each year, only four or five return. The goal of the program is almost totally defeated.

Many students drop out. The reasons vary. I find it hard to believe that college work is too hard for them, for they were the cream of the crop each year. If some have succeeded, why not all?

2. DOE Teacher Scholarships. Appropriation - $300,000. This part of the scholarship program is handled directly by DOE. It has funded teacher upgrade and higher degree studies. It is doing well.

3. Stateside certification program. Appropriation - $1.5 million.

The drive for local teachers to receive stateside certification began in 2005. The preference is certification in content areas. The theory is, if local teachers are stateside certified, our schools should be as good as those in the states. The program is beginning to bear fruits. A number have returned with degrees in the critical areas of English and Math, and have been assigned to local schools. Two are returning with certification. Others are at various stages of completing the certification process. The funding is one time.

Scholarships to enter teacher-training colleges are offered, under this program, to students graduating with bachelors.

A teacher-training program was begun at ASCC last year by awarding 24 scholarships to prospective teachers to take their first two years at ASCC, before moving up to off island teacher training colleges. Unfortunately, only half remained in the program before the end of their first year. However, the Task Force is determined to push ahead with the program by awarding another 24 scholarships to prospective teachers in this year’s crop of high school graduates.

Because it was considered a very vital need last year, short term institutes were conducted for teachers in the Samoan culture and language. Over three hundred local teachers attended the six- week institutes. Two or three more are planned before the coming school year. Two teachers are seeking graduate degrees in this field at the National University of Samoa.

Why are we restructuring the Scholarship program? Because the results, especially of the regular annual scholarship program, have been very disappointing only a few graduate and return to stay. Often, jobs are unavailable for them. Many graduate from college but possess no skills.

With limited resources, we need to maximize the results of our investment. We must coordinate scholarships and our needs, cut losses, and establish conditions to insure return. We need to make certain our graduates return with skills that meet the manpower needs of our government and the community, and that there will be jobs for them here.

The Scholarship Board, in coordination with the Department of Manpower Resources and DOE, has worked out a new three-part program. It will begin this year.

1.  Undergraduate scholarships:

• Ten (10) four-year scholarships of $7,000 a year will be available for high school graduates with top grades and SAT scores of not less than 1500.
• Ten (10) two-year scholarships of $7,000 a year will be available for ASCC students with the best grade records, to continue their degree studies off-island.
• Forty (40) two-year scholarships of $1000 each year will be awarded to high school graduates with high grades and SAT scores, to attend ASCC.
• Funding will continue for scholarships and loans, second to fourth year, provided they meet Board requirements.
• Every student, be they on a scholarship grant or a loan, will be required to sign an agreement to return. The waiver of up to 50% for student loans recently approved by the Board, will be in force.

2. Graduate degrees and professional training:

The need for professionals like doctors, engineers, and lawyers continue to increase. Recruiting is expensive. It is not easy to find and keep good people. It is time we face facts and take bold steps to make the necessary changes. We need professionals to offer the services that meet requirements of present lifestyles, and lead our people to join the march of modem civilization. That is done through investment we have a moral obligation to maximize the results of investments, for they are made from very limited resources.

Therefore, we are returning to the policy of developing our local core of professionals and skilled public servants. We begin by offering scholarships in the areas of greatest need, and gradually work our way to cover all areas of government services, hopefully within the next five years. Where the need is greatest, opportunities will be offered every year. Beginning this year (2007­-2008), and in consultation with the Director of Human Resources, graduate and professional scholarships will be offered as follows:

Two( 2 ) scholarships for studies in each of these fields - medicine (including dentists), law, civil engineering and physical education / coaching. One ( 1 ) scholarship for studies in each of these fields - health/hospital technician, computer engineering, journalism and media, law enforcement / criminal justice, agriculture, and historian/ archivist/ curator.

These opportunities will be offered first to those presently studying in these fields.

For 2008-2009, scholarships will offered as follows. Two( 2 ) scholarships for studies in each of these fields - medicine and physical education / coaching. One ( 1 ) scholarship for studies in each of these fields - law, civil engineering, personnel manager, economic planning, counseling, environmental scientist, health/hospital technician, travel and tourism.

The slots for years 2009-2010 and beyond will be structured by the Board, in consultation with the Director of Human Resources and various agencies, and announced a year ahead so that students graduating from the bachelor degree program can plan accordingly. Employees in these fields may apply for these scholarships.

3. Cohort programs

To meet the critical need for trained and certified counselors, the Board, working with DOE and Human Resources, is entering the area of cohorts. Cohort programs are organized and held here, to provide graduate studies and professional training for government employees, while they continue in their jobs. The most recent example was the graduation of 16 local teachers with Masters degrees earned in the Cohort program with the University of Hawaii.

Counseling has been recognized as one the areas in serious need of trained professionals. Work is now in progress to arrange a counseling cohort with the University of San Diego. We hope to start in June. Twenty-five candidates will be selected from present staff of DOE, Human and Social

Services, LBJ Hospital, and Public Safety. They must possess bachelor degrees and have their applications accepted by the University.

Each candidate selected will be awarded a $7,000 scholarship, which will go toward cost of the program. The cohort is a two-year program after which the candidates, if successful, will receive an MA and certified as a trained counselor.

A cohort on accounting will follow. I believe government accountants should have graduate training, and hopefully go on to become certified public accountants. Another area where a cohort is vitally needed is law enforcement

Other Comments:

I have not said anything about nursing because we have a separate special program for them, and that is working well. A number of local nurses recently passed the national Registered Nurse test and are now working at LBJ Hospital in Faga’alu.

As you know, we only have two Samoan MDs in our medical care service. I have asked the Board to look into preparing our Suva Medical School graduates in medicine and dentistry, to take the U. S. Medical License Exam (USMLE).

The Board is also inviting departments and agencies to make known their wishes for special training, so they may be fitted into their schedules.

I wish to announce the addition of a Scholarship Search unit to our Scholarship program. There are many scholarships and financial assistance available at universities and colleges, foundations, corporations, government agencies, and a variety of other sources. We need to contact them and request inclusion.

I have said a lot tonight. Rome was not built in a day. The investment we are making now may not bear fruit for a while. It takes six to seven years to school and train doctors after they have earned the bachelors degrees. Even if we do not get to harvest them, we must still plant the seeds now so that our future generations may enjoy high quality government and business services.

Thank you for your attention and your interest in this vital program ­planned to improve the abilities of our young people to handle the future of American Samoa.

Soifua.”