Newly-appointed Vunayasi District School prefects were given timely advice by the Minister for Forestry Osea Naiqamu, during their investiture ceremony last Friday.

He told the student leaders that good leaders should have confi­dence, self-respect, compassion and kindness.

“The actions you perform as lead­ers should be inspirational to each and every student in this school,” Mr Naiqamu said.

“The path of leadership is not easy and you will be challenged at every corner, to be strong and not weak, to be bold and not oppressive, to empower the powerless and to wear the badge with pride and not arrogance,” he said.

Head boy Maleli Nauvasi knows that he has been entrusted with the responsibility of serving the school with utmost pride and diligence.

He said the environment they were educated in and lived within were also his responsibility as well as for each student of the school.

“Being chosen to be a prefect is an honour as well as a great responsi­bility. The teachers have put a lot of thought in choosing students to be leaders and often it is a hard choice to make,” he said.

“I thank them for their faith in my ability to be a leader among my peers.”

The 12-year-old wishes to pursue a better education to secure a solid career pathway.

Head girl Salanieta Viriviri, the younger sister of former Fijian 7s star Samisoni Viriviri, said she wished to get a good job after school and look after her family.

“I want to thank those who have played a part in our upbringing and this is a proud moment for my fam­ily,” she said.

The school was established in 1935, has a total of nine teachers with a school record of 194 students.

Edited by Percy Kean

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