There was jubilation when a classroom block at Navakasiga District School in Bua was finally completed. And head teacher Samuela Maui thanked the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama for keeping his promise when he officially opened the extension yesterday.

It was last year while Mr Bainimarama was attending a meeting in Bua that their district rep requested if he could assist because the contractor had left without completing the project.

“Within 90 working days, the Republic of the Fiji Military Forces built the block containing two classrooms for Year One and Year Two students,” Mr Maui said.

“Since 2016 the students were using a temporary building which was once used by hostel students.”

Mr Maui, who hails from Kioa Island, said now he could happily retire in October seeing his 31 students accommodated well. There are 100 students from Years One to Eight with six teachers.

Mr Bainimarama said it was important that they never forget the people and the values that have formed the foundation of the school over the past eight decades.

“Thousands of students have passed through these classrooms as you now do receiving an education that allowed them to pursue their dreams and make important contributions to our beloved Fiji,” Mr Bainimarama said.

“We have prioritised the education of Fijians of all ages, introducing the free education grant, free bus fare and free text books to name a few.”

This almost $50,000 project, funded by the Office of the Prime Minister, would cater for children of Navakasiga district, Nasau Village, Naviqiri Village and the maritime community of Yaqaga.

“We have always said that every Fijian student must have access to an equally high standard of learning, no matter where they live, whether in an urban, city or in a rural maritime community,” Mr Bainimarama said.

He said education made us more resilient by allowing us to create solutions that we once could not imagine.

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