Commissioning of new classrooms for the Talafo’ou Government Middle School ^Featured

The new building has three classrooms which costs TOP$469,450.00 with a total area of 150 m2 and can accommodate 75 – 90 students.

This construction is under the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP) project led by the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) and co-funded by the World Bank and the Australian Government.

The PREP project includes the reparation and reconstruction of school buildings that were damaged by TC Gita which hit Tonga and ‘Eua in February 2018. There are 25 schools in the project, building 33 new buildings and repairing 10. It is a total of 110 classrooms in Tongatapu, ‘Eua and Vava’u which cost approximately TOP$28 million.

A talking chief, Ma’u-he-lotu, warmly welcomed the guests and expressed his gratitude for their presence despite the unfavourable rainy weather. He thankfully said, “The people of Tongatapu Constituency 10 and Maliepo, are so thankful for the assistance we have been provided with particular for our children.”

The Honourable Prime Minister expressed his appreciation of the timely assistance from the World Bank and the Government of Australia in the reconstructions after the destructive Cyclone Gita because “Our government was not in any position to do this project in such a short time,” he said.

Mrs Natalia Palu Latu emphasizes the importance of investing in resilient designs and buildings for safety and for economic and long-term financial benefits by saying, “I am really pleased to see the superior design of the disaster resilient classrooms to both earthquakes and cyclones.”

Honourable Poasi Tei emphasized that the most important resource of a nation is its people, and thanked the Guest of Honour for his leadership and commitment to invest in education for sustainable development, “Thank you very much for being proactive in laying a steady foundation for a better future.” He also thanked the Talafo’ou community:

“My deep gratitude to the district officer, town officers, parents, school principal and students of Talafo’ou Middle School. Your collaborate effort, mutual support and being proactive for the best is very much appreciated. May you will be blessed to continue supporting our children to become good citizens.”

Ma’u-he-lotu welcomed the guests at the beginning of the ceremony. Rev. Fataimelo Taufa blessed the new classrooms. The Representative of the World Bank in Tonga, Mrs. Natalia Palu Latu delivered a speech representing the development partners. The Honourable Prime Minister, Rev. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa delivered the keynote speech and the Minister for MEIDECC, Honourable Poasi Tei delivered the Vote of thanks.

The Minister of Education, Honourable Siaosi Sovaleni; the Chief, Lauaki; talking chiefs; Senior Education Officers; Project Management Unit representative; members of the clergy; parents; teachers; and students of Talafo’ou GMS were also present to witness this prestigious event.

The new classroom building was constructed by a local contractor, Ca’Bella Pacific Construction (Tonga) Limited.