Prizegivings are now in full swing in schools throughout the country.

Avid Fiji Sun readers will notice the extensive coverage we are giving to these important annual events.

It’s a time when students who have studied, worked and played hard during the year, are deservedly rewarded.

It’s a time of celebrations and reflection. That’s the reason why your favourite newspaper is out there covering these events.

We celebrate success and achievements. They positively contribute to our progress as a nation.

Education is one of the main pillars of our young democracy. It is heartening to know that this Government recognises its importance by placing it as one of its core policies.

The slogan, “an educated and a smarter Fiji”, is resonating well with the people. More and more people, young and old are seeking an education, from a purely academic stream to vocational and technical courses.

Education is not only confined to an academic degree but also covers technical and skilled-based training where we dirty our hands. They all contribute to strengthening our collective intellectual capacity as a country.

The Government’s development programmes will be stunted if we do not have educated, qualified, skilled and experienced people to carry them out. It is why we go out and recruit expatriate workers from overseas.

The Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has said that there is a shortage of  science-based professionals. We are short of doctors, nurses, engineers etc.

This is an area that needs to be developed and strengthened to fill the gaps in our service delivery in health and medical services.

This process starts from kindergarten, primary and secondary schools. That’s why the Minister for Education Mahendra Reddy’s special focus on pre-school is welcome because that’s where the foundation of the future of our children is laid.

The prizegivings and graduations in these three levels of education are not only exciting but empowering too.

Take for example, the young solo mum who, before graduating with a sewing certificate, had a hopeless future. Now, she is keen to start her sewing business to earn cash to provide for her children’s needs.

Then there were two students, who represented many from Cyclone Winston ravaged areas in the West.

They both had to study under candle lights because there was no electricity. That did not stop them from achieving the top results and receive the Dux awards.

At the Assemblies of God High School, Queen Victoria School students displaced from their Matavatucou base in Tailevu, scored a hat-trick in Year 12 when they scoped the top three academic prizes.

Their colleagues in other classes also won prizes too. Students who were placed in other schools are reported to have maintained their QVS standards. It capped off a successful year where they excelled in rugby too and did reasonably well in athletics.

The different environment did not adversely affect their performance. If anything, it lifted it to another level.

These inspiring stories and more emerging from the prizegivings give us hope and fortitude.

The achievers’ mental and emotional strength to overcome trials and adversity is a great source of power.

Their resilience underscores the importance of positive thinking. They shine a light on naysayers who habitually express negative and pessimistic views even when things are going well.

As we go through more prizegivings this month, let’s learn from these positive experiences. They are going to be replicated from prizegiving to prizegiving.

It augers well for the future because these students are Fiji’s future leaders.