A proposal to merge two schools, Vuda District School and Viseisei Primary School was put forward to the management of the schools yesterday by the Ministry of Education.

Minister for Education Mahendra Reddy said this decision was made because of the proximity of the two schools.

“The Vuda District School and the Viseisei Primary School are just 250 metres apart so the ministry has decided to merge these two schools.

“Also for so long the Vuda District School only had iTaukei students registered there whereas Viseisei Primary School has some iTaukei students but majority are Indo-Fijians,” he said.

He said they put forward this proposal because the ministry wants to integrate the two communities.

If discussions are positive, Mr Reddy said one school will operate as lower primary while the other as the upper primary.

He added that the Vuda District would have kindergarten up till Year Four while Viseisei Primary will have Year Five to Year Eight bringing both cultures to study together.

“They will be able to understand and accommodate each other’s culture and have a different benchmark for competition,” Mr Reddy said.

“Teacher’s will also work hard as there would be competition amongst them teaching different streams.”

Spokesperson of the two schools, Tevita Momoedonu put forward suggestions on behalf of the two schools.

He requested that the names of the two schools should be retained and a walkway be constructed between the two schools for convenience.

“From one family it is likely if they have three children, one attending kindergarten, one in Year Two and one in Year Three and one in Year Six, so if we have walkway between two schools it will be easy for the elder one to drop and pick the young siblings.

“This is because of safety reasons as the roads are not safe and is very narrow,” Mr Momoidonu said.

Mr Reddy assured that it shall be done and there won’t be any other changes except the closure of Year One-Four in one school and Year Five-Eight in another.

“The walkway is not a problem as it will just cost us about $15,000.”

Future plans for other schools

Mr Reddy said if the two schools would be merged following successful discussion, this will go down as a historical achievement in Fiji to have two schools operating together.

“This is the first of its kind and we need to examine places where they have ethnic-based schools and if there is a school close by then they will be able to do it,” he said.

Mr Reddy added they have taken the first step by approaching the owners of the school and now they will wait for the two schools decision on the proposal.

Edited by Filipe Naigulevu

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