Samoa's Ministry of Education and SENESE, an NGO for inclusive education support services, have geared up for a national hearing screening exercise next week.
An audiologist with the NGO, SENESE, in Samoa Photo: RNZ Pacific /Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
The project is aiming to dramatically improve hearing outcomes for Samoan children and deliver positive effects on education and health.
It will target more than 6000 year one students in all government, mission and private schools around the country.
The President of SENESE, Marie To'alepaialii, said they were finding increasing numbers each year with hearing difficulties, which affects their ability to learn.
"We conduct outreach programmes where we go out to visit the schools, we go out to meet the teachers and the parent to educate them, on the importance of ear care."
