Technology
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
1. Terminology
The 2018-23 National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education Policy defines information and communication technology (ICT) as “all the technology used to handle telecommunications, broadcast media, intelligent building management systems, audio visual processing and transmission systems, as well as network-based control and monitoring functions”.
Open Educational Resources (OER) are defined in the policy as “freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets that are useful for teaching, learning, and assessing as well as for research purposes”.
Τhe 2018-28 National Teacher Development Framework refers to Online Distance Learning (ODL) as learning “ provided online to enable rural and Savaii teachers to access teacher upgrade programmes”. Distance Flexible Learning (DFL) “offers students a way to gain a higher education through a variety of modes and technologies”.
The term education technology (EdTech) is not used in official government documents.
2. Technology laws, policies, plans and regulations
2.1. Education technology legislative and policy framework
Constitution and laws: There is no legal framework for the integration of technology in education in Samoa. The 1960 Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa (as amended in 2019) and the 2009 Education Act (amended in 2017) make no reference to technology. Moreover, the 2005 Telecommunications Act (last amended in 2020) has no provision on education. One of the objectives of the Act is to promote universal access to telecommunications services at affordable prices (Article 3). A telecommunications service is defined as “any form of transmission of signs, signals, text, images or other intelligence by means of a telecommunications network, but does not include a broadcasting service”. According to the 2010 Universal Access Policy, telecommunications services include internet services. There is no general technology or ICT act.
Policies, plans and strategies: The government of Samoa has a strong policy and strategy framework for the integration of ICT in the country’s education system.
The 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy serves as a tool to guide the process of embedding and integrating ICT in all schools in Samoa (including mission and private schools). The purpose of the policy is to 1) build a common shared understanding of what ICT in Education means among all stakeholders, 2) create an enabling environment, mechanisms and priorities for ICT in education and improve communication within the education system, and 3) provide modern, relevant content fulfilling the needs and expectations of educators and students. The government is also in the process of developing an ICT in Education Master Plan.
The 2012-17 National ICT Policy includes education objectives, with affordable and accessible ICT being viewed as tool for improving access to education services.
One of the objectives of the 2022 E-Commerce Strategy and Roadmap is to integrate digital tools into the education system as a priority at all levels.
In the 2019-24 Education Sector Plan, ICT is included as one of the plan’s top priorities to provide everyone with access to good quality education and training opportunities, with the cost of implementation estimated at SAT 7.3 million. ICT aligns with several of the plan’s strategies, such as developing a committed and competent education workforce at all levels and increasing the use of ICT for teaching and learning.
The vision of the 2017/18 – 2021/22 Communications Sector Plan for “affordable and appropriate ICT accessible to all”, with the government recognizing the importance of ICT as an enabler and transformer of socioeconomic development. The plan includes several education-specific objectives such as developingof the ICT capabilities among citizens, students and teachers and enhancing access to ICT infrastructure for schools.
The 2016/17 – 2019/20 Strategy for the Development of Samoa includes a section on ICT, which is viewed as a tool to increase access to e-Education by individuals, rural communities and vulnerable groups.
Digital competency frameworks: The 2018-23 National Professional Development Policy, which builds upon the 2018-28 National Teacher Development Framework, expects teachers to make more effective use of ICT in the classroom as a key part of their Professional Knowledge.
The Samoa Qualifications Authority has recognized the importance digital literacy and ICT skills and has established an ICT Sector Advisory Group in 2021 with the objective to develop National Competency Standards and Samoa Qualifications in the sector. One of the competency standards included in the 2020 National Competency Standards for Generic Skills is to demonstrate knowledge of basic IT skills, which are part of the Samoa Qualifications Framework.
Changes occurred as a result of COVID-19: In 2021, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, with support from the Government of Japan and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), announced that it will be launching a project on ICT in education in Samoa with a focus on the sustainable development agenda of leaving no on behind. The project (which began implementation in April 2021), known as Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education in Samoa: Developing Resilient Education System through Online and Multimedia as the Countermeasure against COVID-19 Pandemic, began implementation in April 2021, supporting approximately 20 primary and secondary schools in Upolu and Savai’i which are marginalized due to geographical location, cover low socio-economic status, have gender imbalance, include children with learning disabilities, and in general are regarded as ‘low performing’ schools. It aims to increase digital literacy for education, in particular among the teachers, to support blended teaching and learning and to enhance steps to redress the digital-divide in education plans and strategies.
The 2020 Education Sector COVID-19 Response Plan also included long-term objectives for making the education system more resilient to future disruptions, including increased flexibility in basic education delivery, building teacher capacity to develop and use distance education with their students, and developing a blended learning resource bank .
2.2. Technology infrastructures, technological capacity of schools and learning environments
2.2.1. Technology infrastructure and digital capacity of schools
Electricity: The 2016 Minimum Service Standards for Primary and Secondary Schools in Samoa, which are used by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture to measure school performance, improvement, development, and student achievement, define the desirable and achievable level of excellence in school performance that must be reached and maintained by all schools. Electricity is included as one of these standards, with specific standards in 1) adequate and safe electrical wiring and cabling to cater for school needs (as evidenced by an Electrician assessment), 2) room with electronic equipment locked and protected against water leakages and heat, and 3) all electrical wiring safely covered appropriately.
The 2010 Electricity Act sets standards for the provision of electricity services to remote rural areas in Samoa.
Computers and devices: All primary and secondary schools should have a computer room with hardware, peripherals and a secure network that is protected from theft and accidental or malicious damage, as one of the standards in the 2016 Minimum Service Standards for Primary and Secondary Schools in Samoa. The computer room must be safe, clean, accessible and well maintained, securely locked after classes, and with secure and safe electrical wiring and cabling. According to the 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy, the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture is responsible for providing guidelines and standards for the procurement of ICT devices, including minimum standards for donated goods. The ICT Supervisor is then responsible for ensuring that students' mobile computers and storage devices are virus protected, providing applications and updates as needed. The government also aims for schools to have affordable and sustainable access to computers through the 2012-17 National ICT Policy as part of the broader goal of strengthening ICT human resources and increasing human resource development opportunities through the use of ICT.
In late 2018, a total of 1500 tablets and 35 rasberry devices were distributed to 75 primary schools by the ICT and Media Division (under the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture). The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) policy was also launched in Samoa from 2008-2010, which was provided with 150 laptops including a server and internet access. In addition, 140 teachers were trained to use the resources on the tablets to encourage integrating e-resources in their teaching and to strengthen literacy and reading in their classrooms.
Internet connectivity: Since the launch of the Samoa National Broadband Highway (SNBH) and SchoolNET projects in 2014, the Government of Samoa through the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture have been funding for free internet access and email services to primary and secondary schools in both Upolu and Savaii. Ensuring internet access and connectivity in schools is included in several policy and strategy documents. The 2017/18 – 2021/22 Communications Sector Plan emphasizes for all government primary and secondary schools to be provided with filtered and monitored internet access, with the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology responsible for enabling safe internet access to government primary and secondary schools in Samoa. In primary schools, initially internet access will be for teachers and administrative staff, but in secondary schools, internet access will be also provided for students. The 2012-17 National ICT Policy also aims for schools and universities to have affordable and sustainable access to broadband connections, with the 2012 National Broadband Policy explicitly supporting for 100% of schools to have broadband access as part of the SchoolNet project. Similarly, the government is committed to improving ICT connectivity and school network infrastructure in the 2019-24 Education Sector Plan, with the Samoa National Broadband Highway responsible for providing cheaper access to, and wider coverage of, ICT. The ICT and Media Division is specifically responsible for ensuring connectivity in schools so distance learning and flexi mode professional development programmes are accessed in Savaii and Upolu rural areas, in accordance with the 2018-28 National Teacher Development Framework. The Division, in close partnership with the Ministry of Communication and IT (MCIT) is tasked with monitoring and managing connectivity infrastructure and improving government primary school connectivity to PrimaryNET services and secondary school connectivity to SchoolNET services.Schools must also adopt measures for the use of the internet, with the ICT network accessible only to authorized school staff and students in accordance with the 2016 Minimum Service Standards for Primary and Secondary Schools in Samoa.
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture additionally launched the Samoa School Connectivity Project that aims to provide improved access to the internet and information for learning. The Ministry also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNESCO in partnership with Vodafone. Solutions proposed under this partnership provided overwhelming assistance valued at 19million Tala for education, which saw Vodafone providing free student SIM cards to access secured and approved learning websites at zero data and much more. Similarly, Digicel Samoa implemented a solution of equivalent value which gave their customers the same privileges with free and secure access using existing customer SIM cards.
2.2.2. Technology and learning environments
The government aims to support and strengthen distance learning platforms through various plans and policies. The 2019-24 Education Sector Plan (which supports increasing the use of ICT for teaching and learning) aims to establish and maintain online distance learning platforms across the education sector, prioritizing improving the platform and infrastructure, so that online learning and teaching can occur. The Ministry additionally states it will review the effectiveness of Online Distance Flexible Blended Learning (ODFBL). The 2012-17 National ICT Policy similarly supports e-Learning programs, but only specifically for vocational and ‘lifelong education’ opportunities for youth and adults to develop updated and relevant skills needed to be competitive in the current workforce. Teachers are encouraged to use Open educational Resources (OERs) in their teaching as well as develop their own OERs to contribute to the OER repository of teaching resources in the 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy, while the term Online Distance Learning (ODL) is included in the 2018-23 National Professional Development Policy and 2018-28 National Teacher Development Framework. The government has also implemented a streaming lessons initiative for government primary and secondary schools, aiming to improve the tV program coverage aid airtime as well as improve school awareness of the TV program and schedule.
During the COVID-19 school closures in Samoa, the government developed and distributed educational materials through various distance learning platforms, including hard copy, radio, television, and online platforms for early childhood, primary and secondary school students in accordance with the 2020 Education Sector COVID-19 Response Plan.
2.3. Technology competencies of learners and teachers
2.3.1. Learners
The government of Samoa supports the establishment and enhancement of student digital skills through the 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy, which aims to establish appropriate ICT literacy skills among all students, teachers, and Ministry staff. According to this policy, everyone in the education system must have adequate ICT literacy, which is defined as the knowledge and skills to operate a computer (tablet, laptop or desktop), open, edit, print and save or delete files, and install an application. To this end, the focus of the school subject Computer Studies will be further expanded to data management, system analysis and even programming. The Ministry views these skills as extending beyong students in Computer Studies though, with all subjects having content areas where specific ICT skills are relevant and needed. The policy aims for basic ICT literacy to be secured for at least all students from Year 5 level on. In addition, a set of guidelines for ICT related skills and knowledge will be developed by the Ministry to define ICT literacy levels for specific target groups (including primary and secondary school students) and a certification process will be installed to assess and certify proficiency on these various levels of ICT literacy. Students should also use ICT to support their own learning, produce assignment papers and reports, take part in the ICT literacy campaign, give support to peers in achieving ICT literacy, and strictly follow rules and regulations when bringing their own mobile computer to class. Moreover, the 2006 National Curriculum Policy Framework includes the effective use of technology as an essential skill for students to develop. The 2017/18 – 2021/22 Communications Sector Plan similarly supports for the national student curriculum to be revised to incorporate an acquired and localised ICT syllabus corresponding to the skills inventory taken, which should be implemented for secondary school grades. The 2022 E-Commerce Strategy and Roadmap additionally aims to introduce digital skills early in the school curriculum, in addition to promoting ICT education and careers for girls in tertiary education.
According to the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture’s 2018-19 Annual Report, the Ministry implemented an e-Learning project that targeted the development of STEM in secondary schools, with a focus on Year 10. While the 2019-24 Education Sector Plan does not include an objective on developing STEM subjects for students, it aims to devise a strategy to increase the number and quality of teachers able to teach secondary STEM subjects, considering targeted scholarships and rapid-teacher training. The 2006 National Curriculum Policy Framework includes skills development in ICT and Design Technology for students, with special emphasis on Science and Mathematics. The 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy has a section on “gender sensitivity” but does not refer to STEM subjects specifically. Instead it states that access to technical resources and OER e-resources needs to be aware of stereotyping and discrimination against men and women.
2.3.2. Teachers
The 2018-23 National Professional Development Policy builds upon the 2018-28 National Teacher Development Framework and addresses the various areas of professional development to enable all teachers to attain a formal qualification, and to encourage all school personnel to seek for opportunities to improve and perfect their skills to improve student development and student learning in their classrooms. ICT skills are included in this policy, with teachers expected to make more effective use of ICT. Specifically, professional development should include at least 16 hours annually on curriculum content, pedagogy and assessment tools, laws and policies, technology (Professional Knowledge) and include the use of technology in the classroom to give teachers the opportunity to prepare for “tech-savvy” classrooms in some cases of today’s technology age. All new teachers are expected to participate in an induction pogram within the first 2 years of their position in which they will be supported through workshops on various areas (including technology and e-resources), and other one-to-one support (which includes integrating technology in teaching).
There is no mention of the use of technology or ICT skills in the 2016 Teachers Act (as amended in 2020) or the 2018-28 National Teacher Development Framework.
The government emphasises the development of teacher digital skills in various policy and strategy documents. The 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy supports the development of ICT literacy skills among all teachers and Ministry staff, with basic ICT literacy aimed to be secured for everyone working in schools at the least. The Ministry aims to develop a set of guidelines for ICT related skills and knowledge that define levels of ICT literacy for teachers and install a respective certification process to assess and certify proficiency on these various levels of ICT literacy. Teachers are additionally expected to use ICT for lesson preparation, research and development of course material, to support teaching and learning in accordance with the Minimum Service Standards and Teacher Quality Assurance Procedures, and to take part in the ICT literacy campaign. ICTs are also being used to strengthen teacher professional development thereby contributing to the improvement of quality of education.
Similarly, the 2012-17 National ICT Policy aims to ensure teachers receive appropriate training so that they have the skills and confidence to incorporate the use of ICT into lessons, which is measured by the proportion of all teachers that have completed ICT education and training certification requirements.
The 2010 National School Assessment Policy Framework also includes a provision on professional development for teachers to use ICT in classroom learning will be supported through pre service and in service training. Various training modes are used, including face-to-face (national, district and school levels), distance and flexible learning, e-learning/training (on line), and video conferencing.
The 2017/18 – 2021/22 Communications Sector Plan additionally aims to revise the national teacher curriculum to include ICT literacies, particularly in content production, class management and ‘blended teaching’ approaches (that combine e-learning with traditional methods). The Ministry of Communication Information and Technology (MCIT) will assist the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MESC) and the National University of Samoa (NUS) on the development of an expanded curriculum for pre-service and in-service teacher training and certification on ICT use, with the MESC and NUS being responsible for its implementation and the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) certifying the new ICT competencies. Competencies will cover two areas of ICT use in education: (a) managing educational content using ICT, and (b) pedagogical models that blend ICT use and traditional teaching in the classroom (as opposed to “computer lab”). The 2019-24 Education Sector Plan also aims to deliver capacity building programmes for teaching staff on using ICT in learning environments.
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture, with support from the Government of Japan and UNESCO, announced that it will be launching the project Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in Education in Samoa: Developing Resilient Education System through Online and Multimedia as the Countermeasure against COVID-19 Pandemic, which aims to increase digital literacy for education, in particular among the teachers, to support blended teaching and learning and to enhance steps to redress the digital-divide in education plans and strategies.
2.4. Cybersecurity and safety
2.4.1. Data privacy
The 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy supports the effective protection of all data as part of cybersecurity and sustainability of ICT use in schools.
2.4.2. Online abuse and cyberbullying
All schools should have policies on student behaviour and discipline for areas of misconduct in accordance with the 2018 School Management and Organization Manual, with policies covering areas of cybercrime in schools and on school compounds through the use of technological devices.
Moreover, according to the 2018-23 National ICT in Education Policy, everyone in the education system (including students, teachers, principals and ministry staff) must be knowledgeable about the basic requirements of cyber security, including virus protection, appropriate use of Internet, Social Media, and ethical and responsible use of ICT. ICT Supervisors are specifically responsible for observing students' use of ICT regarding cyber security and appropriate content and advising students and teachers on the safe use of ICT. Students should strongly observe cyber security rules, use antivirus software, and avoid inappropriate content.
The 2016-21 Samoa National Cybersecurity Strategy additionally aims to develop the Computer Studies module in primary and secondary schools to include a model on Cybersecurity and Cyber safety. Moreover, the strategy plans on establishing a Child Online Protection Working Group (COPWG) and Child Online Protection (COP) Strategy to promote the use of ICT. It also aims on implemfenting precaution and protection of child users through a Child Sexual Abuse Material Filtering Policy.
The 2018 Samoa National Security Policy has a dedicated section to cybersecurity, with an objective to strengthen collaboration with regional and international partners to improve cybersecurity and combat cyber crime, without however specifically mentioning schools.
3. Governance
3.1. Institutions in charge of technology in education and coordination mechanisms
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MoESC) has an ICT and Media Division that is responsible for ensuring efficient and effective ICT services. As part of the division, the ICT Unit is responsible for the integration of ICT in schools, including the provision of guidelines for appropriate ICT use in schools, the procurement of ICT devices in schools, the provision of ICT teacher training, development and conduct of the ICT literacy campaign, and liasing with telephone and wide area network providers to secure stable and consistent connectivity to all schools. Other MoESC Divisions, such as the School Operation Division, Teacher Development Division, Curriculum Design and Materials Division, Policy, Planning & Research Division support the process of ICT integration and monitoring. In the 2019-24 Education Sector Plan, the Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the National University of Samoa (NUS) also support the MoESC in its various ICT strategies.
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT) is responsible for the development and implementation of the country’s national ICT policy and cybersecurity strategies (which also include education objectives with the support of the MoESC).
3.2. Roles of schools
According to the 2018 School Management and Organization Manual, schools are responsible for the supply, maintenance and replacement of information technology network equipment, as well as the development of a school policy on student behaviour and discipline for areas of misconduct which covers areas of cybercrime in schools and on school compounds through the use of technological devices.
The use of electronic gadgets (including mobile phones) has been banned in government schools in accordance with a Ministry measure.
This profile was reviewed by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (Samoa).
