Government vessel Iloilovatu came to the rescue last night to transport Yasayasa Moala students and teachers stranded in Suva.

The students are now weeks of school behind as the 2020 academic year started on Monday, January 13.

A teacher who was also on the trip said those in authority should do something to make sure that this does not happen again in future.

“Teachers and students are usually those that suffer from such arrangement,” the teacher said.

“Since the Ministry of Education demands that teachers report back at school on time, they should play their part in ensuring that teachers reach their destinations before school starts.”

There are seven primary schools and a secondary school at Naroi which also accommodates students from Totoya and Matuku islands.

Nasoki villager Viliame Taufa of Moala said his children had to suffer due to the discontinuation of the franchise unusually provided by Goundar Shipping Limited.

GSL last month announced grounding its vessels due to shortage of crew members to run the operation.

“I am glad that the Government vessel Iloilovatu is leaving today (yesterday), my children have missed four weeks of school and this is not good,” Mr Taufa said.

“We had come over for Christmas and also buy school stationeries,” he said.

“Whoever is responsible for inter-island vessels should have organised something when Goundar Shipping said they were not going.

“Good thing I came on Monday to ask if any vessel was going to Yasayasa Moala and was informed it was going today (Tuesday) so I paid our fare.

“Now we have to think twice about coming to Suva due to this situation and I hope we do not face this problem again.”

There are eight villages on the Moala and they are Naroi, Nasoki, Keteira,  Vunuku, Cakova, Vadra, Maloku and Muakacuni. There are five villages in Totoya; they are: Tovu, Ketei, Dravuwalu, Udu and Vanuavatu.

The seven villages on Matuku are: Yaroi, Nakabati, Qalikarua, Levukaidaku, Makadru, Raviravi and Lomaji.

Iloilovatu is expected to arrive at Moala tomorrow, before Totoya and then Matuku.

Efforts to get comments from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport yesterday were futile.

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