By Staff Writer
Government denial of how children can easily access offensive adult sites using satellite links for online education, is behind the challenge for open discussions on the public media of how that is possible.
The exchange should have the Regulator and a Ministry of Education member sit in. So too are officials from the main internet service providers, CSL, Vodafone and Digicel.
The opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi sounded the alarm on the potential harm.
Part of the worry is the Government exclusive $2m contract awarded to a new service provider it supposedly favours that uses satellite dishes.
The Minister of Education Seuala Ioane with the support of the Regulator, Lematua Gisa Purcell, rejected any such access threats in schools.
“The teachers are there to supervise at all times the educational programmes that schools are linked to for online education,” Education Minister Seuala defended.
Regulator Lematua assured safe links with the use of online filters in the linkup programme connections to the satellite.
“Satellite coverage is the better choice where it’s also possible to provide coverage in dark spot areas where cable coverage is unable to reach,” Lematua highlighted.
The Regulator was unable to comment on whether that will be a disadvantage in future Government contracts for other service providers using fiber cable connections.
Education Minister Seuala confirmed that the contract was given to the new service provider because they had satellite dishes in place ready for hookup.
Opposition leader Tuilaepa rejected the Regulators support of the satellite advantages when countries including the US, Australia and New Zealand are moving into cable links.
“Satellite connectivity are unreliable, expensive and easily hacked it is used mainly by aircrafts to hook up online for the benefit of flight passengers,” Tuilaepa countered.
His experience and contribution as leader of Government that gave the go ahead for 3 fiber cables to run through Samoa gives him a wider understanding of online connectivity.
“Fiber cables are preferred because it is reliable and, in our case, controlled by our own home service providers unlike the satellites run by companies outside Samoa.
“When schools have their own separate satellite dish to hook up to, who monitors all those dishes besides the teachers when they are not around?”
Tuilaepa objects severely to the ‘single source’ service providers contract awarding for school online education while overlooking the others with the better options of using fiber cables.
Regulator Lematua’s assertions of the satellite use in dark spots was true, but it applies to only one percent or so of the coverage according to Tuilaepa.
“The only dark spots are at Papa Sataua, Neiafu and Tufutafoe in Savaii and Fagaloa in Upolu which the local service providers have agreed to fix by setting up a signal tower.”
Tuilaepa contends that emphasis on satellites was an excuse to award the contract to the new service providers.
What he felt would give the general public a better understanding of the controversial preference for the satellite link up is for an open media discussion.
He argued that even if the undersea cable connecting Samoa is cut, there is a repair vessel based at the Matautu-tai wharf with cables ready for quick repair work.
Satellite links as far as he is concerned is going back into rejected technology that will expose the children of Samoa to bad sites because of control issues.
Minister Seuala identified the more vulnerable students as those at the senior primary levels, colleges and universities.
Together with the Regulator, they agreed that students with access to smartphones and computers will still access adult sites outside of the school environment but not through online education access.
“The WIFI set up in schools will not allow access to those sites with filters in place but there is no control when the children go home,” Regulator Lematua said.
She revealed joint efforts by Samoa and New Zealand Governments underway to set up a giant filtering system for safe usage of the Internet.
The Regulator believed there will always be challenges for economic developments in any country but it must move forward to continue to progress.
Minister Seuala was quick to note the responsible roles for teachers through education and parents at home to keep children away from the dark side of online learning.
Tuilaepa made it clear that when the safety and protection of the children of Samoa is involved, it is their responsibility and role as the opposition party to bring their concerns to the attention of Government.
Online education is being processed through 3 main phases and it unclear when it is ready to start.