26 Jul 2006

American Samoa considers lowering school starting age to fiveoa

7:53 pm on 26 July 2006

American Samoa is to consider law change to lower the school starting age from six to five.

School is compulsory from the age of six.

But an administration bill proposes to lower this to five to ensure there is no gap between when a child completes early childhood education and enters elementary school.

Current early childhood education finishes when the child turns five.

The governor said the proposed legislation would rectify an important oversight in the school system.