Commissioning of the new classrooms for GPS Holonga Featured
12 February, 2021. The Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Adrian Morrison was the Guest of Honour in the commissioning of the new classrooms for GPS Holonga Thursday, 11 February 2021.
The new school building has three classrooms, which can accommodate 75 – 90 students. Two classrooms are partitioned with a wondoor, which can be drawn to form one big room. The value of the construction was TOP$434,945.00.
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 repairing/retrofitting and reconstructing school buildings that 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. This construction program costs approximately TOP$28 million.
The Chairperson of the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA), Mr. Uatesoni Palu, warmly welcomed the guests and expressed his gratitude for the immense and valuable assistance to Holonga through investing in educating their children. He was very optimistic that the new classrooms will produce a better future for Holonga. The Principal Mrs. ‘Ahosima Hufanga read the opening hymn. Reverend Tevita Fakalolo blessed the new classroom building and committed to be the lighthouse for Holonga and for Tonga.
His Excellency, Adrian Morrison appreciatively expressed that it was a pleasure being at the legendary place of Tūtū’angakava. He urged the students to study hard so that, “You will be able to improve your lives and lives of your families. You will make a significant contribution to the community and to the Kingdom. These new classrooms will be more conducive to effective learning”
The Chief Executive Officer for Education and Training, Dr. Tangikina Moimoi Steen in her Vote of Thanks conveyed her gratefulness to the donors; participating government partners; the Managing contractor and the builders; the PTA, teachers, and students of GPS Holonga for their collaborative effort that has come to fruition with the completion of the new classrooms.
Mr. Paula Kava and representatives from Cardno; Mr. Heamai Latu, the Manager of ‘Ofa Constructions and the builders; Deputy Director for the Ministry of Education and Training, Mr. ‘Isikeli Oko, Mr. Ponepate Taunisila and Senior Officers; Town Officer and members of the Parents & Teachers Association; members of the clergy; ex-students teachers and parents were also present to celebrate this prominent occasion.
Cardno, the Managing Contractor, designed and supervised the construction. The builder was ‘Ofa Construction.
