Don Bosco High School and Vocational Center has new donated laptops 

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco High School and Vocational Center, located in Alafua, Samoa, has received new laptops and a projector from a local donor to improve the student’s education. Enrollment continues to grow at the school, and the need for technical education in the region is in great demand, far exceeding the capacity of the center.

A Salesian explained, “New classrooms are required to facilitate the growing numbers of students from underprivileged backgrounds and to ensure they do not miss out on the skills they need to find successful employment. It is a hope from the leadership team that one day the school will have a library to enhance the learning experience for both students and teachers.”

The center has continued to expand to accommodate the growing needs of students. In 2022, Salesians constructed classrooms for a hospitality program to ensure students have equipment that replicates a commercial kitchen and café.

The facilities were developed after research and consultation with the community. Salesian missionaries discovered that resorts in Samoa were having difficulty acquiring suitable employees with the appropriate hospitality skills. As qualified local staff are preferred rather than hospitality staff from overseas, Don Bosco Technical College has been working to fill the void.

“Courses offered at the center enable students to find and retain employment in the community, addressing the high youth unemployment rate,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The goal of Salesian education is for students to learn a skill that enables them to become self-sufficient and contributing members of their community. To do this, Salesians must offer coursework that fits the local employment needs.”

Although Samoa has made impressive progress in social development, many rural communities in the country grapple with an unequal distribution of wealth and benefits. Communities in remote parts of the islands are particularly vulnerable, especially in areas most likely to be affected by cyclones or other natural disasters. Gender inequality is apparent as women strive and often fail to find the same work and income opportunities as men. Youth find it increasingly difficult to find livable wage employment in the country.

###

Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions Australia

Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund

Salesian Missions Australia News June 2024

Salesian Missions – Samoa

SAMOA: Students fill community employment needs

World Bank – Samoa