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Name :Patosina Lagolago Reed (nee Betham)
Village - Papauta
DOB: 9 April 1929
Present Occupation: Mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Retired
SchoolTeacher. Co-founder and Principal of Mrs Reeds Preschool. The school is
situated in a room adjacent to her home at Papauta.
History of your school days:
Primary Education :- Leiifiifi School from Primer 1 to Standard 6. In
those days there were 2 main government schools at Malifa and Leiifiifi. When
she completed Standard 6 she sat the Superintendent’s Exam and was accepted to
become a teacher. She began teaching Primer 1 in 1946. She was 16 years old. She
did night classes and passed her Public Service Certificate.
1949 – married Allen Hubert Reed who passed away tragically in 1962 leaving her to bring up a young family of 7 children.
1955-
Malifa and Leiifiifi combined and Primers 1-4 became Apia Infants School
and Standard 1-4 became Apia Primary School and Forms 1&2 became Leiifiifi
Intermediate School.
1956-
An English Composite Class (Primer 1-4) was opened in Apia Infants
School that she taught.
1965- Went for
Training for 3 Months at the East West Centre Hawaii.
1971-
Did 1 year training at Wollongong Teachers College, Australia on Early
Childhood Education.
1977-
Appointed as Headmistress at Apia Infants School
1979
- Went to NZ on a Teachers
Exchange Scheme for 1 month and traveled around NZ observing and teaching in
Primary Schools.
1987-
Went with the Teachers group who participated at the Pacific Arts
Festival held in Tahiti.
1989- Retired at 60 years of age after 43 years of
uninterrupted to Government through the Education department.
Where to from here i.e what do you want to see happening for yourself over the next few years and the future?
When she retired in 1989 Pato went overseas and visited her children and
their families. She however was not ready to retire completely and felt she
wanted to do something more. With
strong encouragement and support from friends in the Education System- the
preschool bearing her name was established. Mrs Reed, as most of her former
students know her by, wants to continue working for the children of Samoa
sharing and using the talents God has given her. She is an Executive Member of
the Early Childhood and Preschool Education Council set up by Government to
oversee the development of Preschool Education in the country. She is actively
involved with all development plans and programmes for Preschool education in
the Country. Mrs Reeds Preschool is used by the NUS –School of Education, as
one of their teaching schools for student practicums. There are also students
from Community College in NZ who send teachers on attachment to Samoa preschools
including Reeds Preschool. Mrs Reed loves teaching and sharing what she knows
with children. As long as God will bless her with life and good health she will
continue to do what she loves and knows best- teaching young children.