Education Policy Bank
A regional policy repository
The Education Policy Bank is an online repository containing Pacific Islands countries’ national education policies and strategic plans. It provides a web-based platform for countries to store and share their policies. It also makes available information to relevant stakeholders on what policies each country is designing or has implemented.
The purpose of the policy bank is to facilitate the sharing of policies within pacific island countries to support the development of policies.
National Safe School Policy (NSSP) - 2024 -2029
Publisher:Samoa Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture
Issued:September 23, 2025
Abstract:
The National Safe School Policy (NSSP) for 2024-2029 is a comprehensive framework to ensure safe, violence-free, supportive, and respectful teaching and learning environments in all Samoan schools. This policy, effective May 1, 2024, and slated for review in 2029, was developed in response to concerns about increasing violence in schools. It adopts a whole-of-school approach, delineating responsibilities for principals, school staff, students, parents, and the wider community to safeguard all stakeholders' rights. The primary purpose of the NSSP is to protect children and students from harm, provide guidance for promoting safe school environments, identify strategies to prevent threats and violence, and strengthen coordination among institutions for child protection and school safety. The policy explicitly states a zero-tolerance approach to any form of violence, abuse, or bullying within the school environment, applying to students, teachers, and staff across all school settings. Key strategies include developing school-specific Discipline Policies, staff Codes of Conduct, Child Protection Policies, and procedures for reporting maltreatment, harassment, aggression, and bullying. Furthermore, it emphasizes improving students' life skills for safety and well-being through comprehensive teaching approaches and building teacher capacity in behaviour management and child safety. The policy also mandates strong partnerships with the community and relevant ministries like the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) and the Ministry of Police and Prisons (MoPP) to eradicate school violence.
The National Safe School Policy (NSSP) for 2024-2029 is a comprehensive framework to ensure safe, violence-free, supportive, and respectful teaching and learning environments in all Samoan schools. This policy, effective May 1, 2024, and slated for review in 2029, was developed in response to concerns about increasing violence in schools. It adopts a whole-of-school approach, delineating responsibilities for principals, school staff, students, parents, and the wider community to safeguard all stakeholders' rights. The primary purpose of the NSSP is to protect children and students from harm, provide guidance for promoting safe school environments, identify strategies to prevent threats and violence, and strengthen coordination among institutions for child protection and school safety. The policy explicitly states a zero-tolerance approach to any form of violence, abuse, or bullying within the school environment, applying to students, teachers, and staff across all school settings. Key strategies include developing school-specific Discipline Policies, staff Codes of Conduct, Child Protection Policies, and procedures for reporting maltreatment, harassment, aggression, and bullying. Furthermore, it emphasizes improving students' life skills for safety and well-being through comprehensive teaching approaches and building teacher capacity in behaviour management and child safety. The policy also mandates strong partnerships with the community and relevant ministries like the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) and the Ministry of Police and Prisons (MoPP) to eradicate school violence.
Country:Samoa