Teachers, principals, support staff and Department of Education leaders are cleaning up school buildings and campuses in the evenings and on Saturdays.

This is part of DOE’s Tautua Wellness Program. Basically staff of each public school is adopting their own school, cleaning up classrooms, and fixing conditions that have been identified in Department of Health inspections so that every school is ready to open on time.

Faugagana Fagaava, DOE’s Grants Manager said a grant is being used to compensate staff who are cleaning up and making repairs in the schools. And several departments and businesses have joined the effort working with DOE staff in the clean up or providing materials and supplies.

Fagaava said all schools including ECE, elementary and high schools have teams working on Saturdays and weekday evenings from 4-6 or 7 pm.

DOH has provided lists of what needs to be fixed in each of the schools. Fagaava said in the past the Wellness Tautua Program has focused on the staff’s mental and physical health however since there’s no more Adopt the School Program, DOE has decided to focus on getting schools cleaned and spruced up for the new school year.

The program will end on August 15. The 2026/2027 school year is scheduled to begin on August 24.

Photos: DOE FaceBook