New school to keep families together as Matuku revives 60-year dream

Many villages on Matuku have grown emptier over the years as families left the island in search of better education for their children, but that is about to change.

The people of Matuku have raised $297,773.20 to complete construction of the island’s first-ever secondary school, a project that will allow children to learn and grow within their own communities while staying close to their families.

Speaking during Matuku Day celebrations last Friday, Tui Matuku Ratu Lorima Niumataiwalu said the new school marks the fulfilment of a dream first conceived more than six decades ago.

“The school was first initiated in the 1960s, but money was an issue then and the foundation was left bare,” the Tui Matuku said. 

“Now, today, we have rebuilt on that same foundation to finish the school that was once planned.”

Tui Matuku Ratu Lorima Niumataiwalu.

Inoke Rabonu.

He said the milestone reflects the unity and resilience of the vanua of Matuku, whose people from across Fiji and abroad, including the Matuku community in the United States, which contributed more than $150,000 — came together to make the dream a reality.

Ratu Lorima also stressed the importance of keeping children at home rather than in dormitories.

“I want children to be brought up by their parents. We now have road access, so they can travel to and from school each day,” he said. 

“It’s not bad to go to Suva, but we want our children to be raised on the foundation of the home, grounded in the teachings of the vanua, our culture, and tradition.”

He said the project represents more than just a school; it is about reviving the heart of Matuku.

“This is a good time for Matuku,” Ratu Lorima said.

“We are rebuilding not just a school, but the future of our island.”