W. Samoa To Get

200 Peace Corps

Volunteers

From R. F. Rankin in Apia Western Samoa’s Prime Minister Mata’afa announced n April that about 200

Jnited States Peace Corps

olunteers would soon be /orking in the country.

IE said that the first group of about 140 volunteers, assigned i health, agriculture and public 'orks would arrive in November, nd another group of about 60, ssigned to education, would rrive in February. All will be niversity graduates.

They will serve for a two-year extendable) term after three lonths’ training in the Samoan mguage and culture, probably at le University of Hawaii. They ill live in Samoan villages as rdinary villagers.

About 80 of the volunteers will ssist in rural health and sanita on. Of the education volunteers, ve will go to government ;condary schools and about 50 to lission primary and secondary :hools.

Education "crisis"

Agriculture will get about 20 olunteers for extension work, and ic rest will go to Public Works > water supply, road and ectrical engineers.

Some eyebrows were raised in pia at the low numbers re jested by the Education Depart ed, especially in view of msistent claims over the past few :ars that education was in a ate of crisis because of lack of lance and insufficient qualified aff. However, the Director of ducation, Mr, I. E. Dorman, said lat the primary school system as now adequately staffed and ;eded no European teachers.

Prime Minister Mata’afa said at Peace Corps assistance would :celerate the country’s drive wards economic, social and lucational improvement, which, itil now, has been hampered by ck of finance and insufficient ghly trained personnel.