NEW CLASSROOM BUILDING TO BENEFIT RURAL STUDENTS IN NAITASIRI- (26-11-2021)

Students of Muaira District School in the interior of Naitasiri will now study in a more comfortable learning environment following the commissioning of their new school building today.

Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama commissioned the new $1.49 million building and structural upgrade works and said that the project will only serve their true purpose once they are filled with the energy and enthusiasm of our young people who can use them to further their educations.

At the event, Prime Minister Bainimarama highlighted government's COVID-19 recovery efforts for schools nationwide and its endeavour to create spaces which maximise and promote a safe and positive learning environment for all students.

"For six months, our students, teachers and parents have handled this adversity admirably shifting learning from classrooms to the home while we've deployed vaccines to protect our people," he said.

"Thanks to our national effort to offer the proven protection of vaccines across Fiji, we are in a much better and safer place as a nation today. Over 90 per cent of adults have both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

"I thank those who are fully vaccinated for their commitment to their health and the health of the nation, including our teachers, who have also done good work preparing learning materials for students during this difficult period."

The Prime Minister said that we are now in the process of offering protection of vaccines to those under the age of 18.

Vaccinations for those who are 15 to 17 years old have been steadily rolling out since 16th September, 2021 and last week we began vaccinations for those 12 to 14 years old so that our young people can join the hundreds of millions around the world who are also being vaccinated against COVID-19.

"We are seeing very good uptake so far, and I thank the parents who have shown the responsibility to have their children protected so that we can get back safely to the lives we have missed so dearly," he added.

As part of the project, the Fijian Government rehabilitated three buildings, completed major structural upgrading works for two buildings and constructed a new double story, one by six building.

"We've had to make these improvements because, as we know, COVID-19 is not the only global crisis we face. Climate change and the stronger storms, rising seas, flooding, and erratic weather it brings present the most serious threat to young Fijian's future," Prime Minister Bainimarama said.

"To our parents, guardians and children here today, these new buildings have been built because we believe in you. We believe in what you can accomplish when you have the right tools and facilities. We are confident you have the ability to realise whatever you set out to achieve and the greatest return on this investment will be in the form of the responsible, civic-minded and highly capable citizens it helps to produce."

School Head Teacher Mr Jope Lalagasiro conveyed the school and the community's sincere gratitude to the government for assisting them with the new project.

He said their students will now look forward to resuming classes, adding the project will certainly provide the best learning environment for them.

The school was severely damaged following the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.