Commissioning of the reconstructed classrooms for Takuilau College Featured
5 December 2020. The Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Adrian Morrison was the Guest of Honour in the commissioning of the reconstructed classrooms for Takuilau early this week.
Three school buildings were reconstructed. One has three classrooms; another with four classrooms with a store room, and one with 4 classrooms, which includes a Home Economics and Music rooms. The value of the consruction was TOP$1,742,176.00.
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.
It aims to contribute to the resilient and sustainable economic and social development of Tonga through strengthening: early warning; resilient investment; and financial protection.
The PREP project includes the retrofitting/repairing and reconstructing of school buildings which were damaged by Tropical Cyclone Gita that 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 more than 120 classrooms in Tongatapu, ‘Eua and Vava’u and cost approximately TOP$28 million.
The Principal, Mr. Sitani Paulo warmly welcomed the guests and reminisced, “We used, for four years, the verandah, the mango tree, the kāsia tree, the ‘ohai tree and all the trees in Takuilau College for our classrooms. Cyclone Gita disintegrated our school programmes inside and outside the classrooms. Four difficult years but we endured. Today is the beginning of a new epoch for Takuilau College, 2021 will be a better academic year. Today, on behalf of the teachers and students of Takuilau College, I would like to acknowledge the joy that we have knowing that we will not experience similar difficulties in the past four years.”
Dr. ‘Elina Kaufusi Bloomfield from PREP, MEIDECC reported, “This program includes school buildings that were damaged by Cyclone Gita that hit Tonga in February, 2018. All Constructions are co-funded by the World Bank and the Government of Australia, which are better, stronger, durable and more resilient to adverse natural disasters such as cyclones and earthquakes.”
His Excellency, Adrian Morrison said, “I am honoured to speak to you today in the blessing of these classrooms and facilities at Takuilau College. Australia is very pleased to support the resilient project. May I ask the staff to pass on to the students of Takuilau College, to make the most of these new facilities, to make use of the opportunity they offer, because if they study hard and work hard, they will be rewarded.”
The Director of the Catholic Education System, Mr. Soane Patita Vahe in his Vote of Thanks conveyed his appreciation to the donors and all participating partners, “Your Excellency, thank you very much for availing your time to be with us here today.
We also ask to convey our most sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Australia for their generosity. Mrs Natalia Lātū, thank you very much, and please thank the World Bank for their generosity.
To MEIDECC, thank you very much for the support . To John Paul together with the Sunshine Construction, thank you very much for your significant roles in these construction”
Mr. Paula Kava and representatives from Cardno; Mr. ‘Ilaiasi Toli, the Manager of the Sunshine Construction and the builders; Deputy Director for the Ministry of Education and Training, Mr. ‘Isikeli Oko and representatives; Deputy Director for the Tonga Meteorology Department, Mr. Laitia Fifita; Project Management Unit representatives; Director of the University of the South Pacific Tonga Campus, Dr. Robin Havea; members of the clergy; exstudents, teachers and parents were also present to celebrate this important occasion.
Cardno, the Managing Contractor, designed and supervised the construction. The builder was the Sunshine Construction.
The Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Adrian Morrison, His Eminence Bishop Soane Patita Paini Cardinal Mafi, Representative from World Bank Office in Tonga Mrs. Natalia Palu Latu, Deputy Director for the Ministry of Education and Training, Mr. ‘Isikeli Oko, The Director of the Catholic Education System, Mr. Soane Patita Vahe, The Principal, Mr. Sitani Paulo and Dr. ‘Elina Kaufusi Bloomfield from PREP, MEIDECC.
