Vuda District Eyes 900k for new school building

Vuda District School has initiated fundraising efforts to facilitate the building of a new school building to accommodate the growing student population.

School manager Meli Tora said proceeds from the Nabavatu celebrations on May 9, would fund construction works.

He said four classes were taking their lessons at the Iloilovatu Hall in Viseisei Village due to the lack of space in the current building.

“The cost of the project is $900,000,” Mr Tora said.

“We had tried our very best to satisfy the due diligence. It took us about seven to eight months. We started this in 2021 and we tendered it out. We received a couple of bidders and then we agreed on $900,000, currently, we’re nearing 400, but the current school roll is 347 and it’s slowly increasing.

(Second from left) Momo Levu Na Tui Vuda Ratu Eparama Kitione Tavaiqia during the Nabavatu day celebration at the Vuda District School grounds in Viseisei village, Lautoka on May 9, 2024. Photo: Salote Qalubau

“This is for four classrooms and an ablution block to cater for the increasing number of students in the old school. Currently, four classes are occupying the Iloilovatu Hall, which is a hall owned by the Yavusa Tububere and they have agreed to give us three years for students to be there without paying any rent and for us to find classrooms for the kids. This is why we have embarked on this journey.”

He said the school committee hoped that construction works would be completed by the end of the year.

“God willing, this will be completed by the end of the year because the weather has affected the project’s progress. We had about four to five months of rain, so we just started construction works again in mid-April. The buildings can withstand category five and category six cyclones,” he said.

“The building will have four classrooms downstairs and four at the top, making it eight classrooms. There could be 240 students.”

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