Minister for Education Premila Kumar has thanked Vunika Primary School management for establishing Vuo Bhartiya Kindergarten.

It is in the rural setting of Vunika, Labasa.

During her visit to the school on Friday, she said early childhood education took momentum about 20 to 30 years ago.

“Which means that when this preschool began 51 years ago, the management had a vision for the little ones and continued and its remarkable,” Ms Kumar said.

She said she was also happy to hear those two former students of the school, Jitendra Chand and Suresh Mani who were residing in Australia took the initiative to give back to their community by opening Vou Supermarket in Vunika, Labasa this year.

She said students and parents of this generation were privileged because Government pays for education.

The ministry is now paying 20 per cent of the salary and the remaining 80 per cent was paid by the school management committee.

“But all these things are behind us.

Now is the time to seriously focus on the education of our children.”

She said teachers were paid by the Government and the salary goes directly to their bank regularly.

“If the Government is making these investments in school, the only thing we are requesting is the return that the Government and community should get by investing in education,” she said.

To be in line with the 21st century she said the ministry was making some changes to the curriculum.

She said Years One to Three, teachers must be united and happy; they have reduced a number of subjects, literacy, numeracy and moral education.

“As they move forward, there will be some changes in curriculum for other subjects so that it’s relevant for the children.

“Our children must know what is happening around them,” she said.

“If the cost of living is going up, our children must know.

If we talk about recession and inflation, our children must know because that is real life.”

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