Six Teachers Make Surprise Visit To Students Living In Ra Interior
They trek 20 kilometres to get to the interior of Rakiraki
Wednesday 29 September 2021 | 13:18
Jitendra Kumar holding his child with other teachers as they are about to cross the river on their way to Nayawa Settlement in the interior of Ra.
Students of Tokaimalo District School, Ra, who live in the interior of the province, got a surprise visit last Friday from their head teacher, his family and five of their other schoolteachers.
Head teacher Jitendra Kumar and his staff made the visit to students and their families living at the Nayawa Settlement after travelling about 20 kilometres to get to the interior of Rakiraki, which has no proper road. To get there, travellers would either walk or travel on horseback.
Mr Kumar, 36, said they planned the surprise visit to the area to get firsthand knowledge of what their students were going through, as far as their education and well-being was concerned.
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“This visit has enlightened us as to what the children of Nayawe Settlement were really facing. They have no proper electricity, extremely poor phone network, but still they are coping up well,” he said.
Mr Kumar who took his only child with him and said despite the crossing of rivers and long distance, the main purpose of visit was to reach out to the children and provide them with home-based learning support ensuring that “No Child is left behind”.
This was in the quest of providing quality and innovative learning in these turbulent times.
“Teachers provided counselling and encouragement to the students and gave them the hope that we care for every child and good times are coming ahead,” he said.
Mr Kumar said they have been sending the Weekly Home Study Package (WHSP) to the settlement but have not received positive responses from parents due to the remoteness and inaccess of transport to the area.
Furthermore, he said it was an emotional meeting between teachers, students, and their families.
Meanwhile, ex-scholar, 87-year-old, Marisela Vua, whose six grandchildren attended the same school, said it was the first time that teachers and the head of the school had ever visited their settlement.
She thanked the teachers for being so caring and bringing education to their doorsteps.
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