Nasinu Muslim College Year 12 students Nereo Seruliwaliwa and Waisea Nabobo are the country’s poster boys of honesty.

That’s why they are in the top 10 of our Persons of the Year.

In May, they found a purse containing almost a thousand dollars lying on the roadside while they were walking on Kings Road.

It was parent’s day and the two, after their interview at school, had gone to the internet shop to research their project topic.

“Waisea and I were speechless when we saw the amount of money in the purse. We had never seen so much money in our lives. We could not even count it,” Nereo said.

“We talked and realised that the owner of the money must have worked hard for it. So we decided to check the purse for the owner’s number. We found that the purse belonged to a Ramiza Bibi, but there was no contact.

“There was another number in the purse and when we called it, it was the husband who answered. We managed to contact the owner who met us at Max Val-U Supermarket just minutes later.”

Waisea said Mrs Bibi was in tears when the purse was returned to her.

“The thought to take the money never crossed our mind. The money was not ours and we should not take it,” he added.

Nasinu Muslim College principal Safiq Ahmed said the actions of the two students showed the moral values instilled in them by their parents.

“What the two boys did is definitely exemplary. Their action is not only an example for other students, but for people of all ages. This also shows that our moral virtues class in school is also working,” he said.

“And a lot of credit should go to their parents.”

Mrs Bibi’s husband, Abdul Fareed said it is remarkable what the two students achieved.

“This virtue displayed by the two students is hard to find. I am truly grateful for their actions and they should be commended,” he said.

Nereo hails from Navatuyaba in Toga, Rewa, while school prefect Waisea hails from Naitasiri.

Because of their exemplary conduct the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has adopted them as their poster boys against bribery, corruption and dishonesty offences.

Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says having a curriculum on anti-corruption in schools will raise a generation of Fijians who will stand up to corruption in society.

Edited by Nemani Delaibatiki 

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