Koro school’s long search for a signal ends

Villagers in remote parts of Fiji are gaining access to services and opportunities once largely available only to people in urban areas through the National Universal Service Scheme.

System availability under the scheme stood at 96 per cent, with communities highlighting the difference reliable connectivity is making in their daily lives.

For Nakodu villagers on Koro Island, access to connectivity has been a longstanding challenge, particularly for education.

Villager Netani Naivalu said they previously had no access to internet or telecommunications services, unlike other communities, posing a major challenge in accessing information for educational purposes.

“Teachers would walk along the beaches looking for a stable connection to access information and educational resources,” he said.

“When the Ministry of Education announced new information or updates on its social media pages, our school would be the last to receive it because of the challenges around stable connectivity.”

On one occasion, a teacher had to be taken by boat beyond the reef barrier in search of an internet connection.

Mr Naivalu said the teacher became nauseated after sitting in the hot sun for a couple of hours while trying to complete his task.

“These are the types of challenges and hardships that we face here in the islands in terms of finding a connection to access information for our children’s education. When we compare achievements in education among the villages, our school is rated the lowest.”

For Nasaucoko Village in Navosa, Saula Kunavatu said the development had brought new opportunities.

“The things that people in the urban areas are accustomed to seeing, we can now also see and experience in our village,” he said.

In Ucunivanua, Verata, Tailevu, village headman Josateki Rokomalani said the assistance came at a crucial time.

“The villagers were discussing acquiring one for the village. We are grateful to the ministry and the Government for rendering their support and making this possible,” he said.

The National Universal Service Scheme, launched on Wednesday, has benefited more than 11,000 Fijians across 2,557 households in six provinces — Kadavu, Tailevu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Namosi and Navosa.