$45,000 New Classroom Block for Valelawa Primary School
Mr Radrodro said the construction of the new classroom block should be completed before the end of this year.
Thursday 06 February 2025 | 09:39
Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro with students of Valelawa Primary School during the ground breaking ceremony in Dreketi, Macuata on February 5, 2025. Photo: Sampras Anand
Come this time next year, students at Valelawa Primary School in Macuata will no longer have to attend classes under tents.
This follows the groundbreaking of a new $45,000 classroom block, which was officiated by Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, yesterday.
For the past two years, Years Three and Four students have been studying under two tents due to the damage caused to the school’s old classroom building by Tropical Cyclone Yasa in 2021.
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The new classroom block promises to provide a more stable and safer learning environment for students.
Head of School, Abinesh Prasad, said the old classroom was unsafe for teaching and learning, and they had to vacate the building for safety reasons.
“Our students have withstood harsh weather conditions while studying in those hot tents,” Mr Prasad said.
While at the school, the minister also opened the new ablution block.
“This has improved our sanitary and hygienic practices,” he said.
Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, during the Valelawa Primary School new classroom block ground breaking ceremony in Dreketi, Macuata on February 5, 2025. Photo: Sampras Anand
Mr Radrodro said students deserve good conducive environment to study.
“The school has played a key role in educating children from the nearby villages of Voloca, Nakacagi, Naua, Natekateka and Batiri,” he said.
“I am proud to see the continued strong commitment to education from this community”.
Mr Radrodro said the construction of the new classroom block should be completed before the end of this year.
The school committee has been tasked to see that the contractor adheres to the time frame.
Parent Mohammed Rizwan said his son, who was in Year Four last year, would always return home after school complaining about the heat.
“2025 has been a good start and we are grateful to the minister for his presence and commitment. Our children can perform better now in this conducive environment,” Mr Rizwan said.
The school was established in 1962 and has a roll of 150 students.
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