PM calls for more efforts in education

Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has called for more efforts to be put in to encouraging students to stay in school to acquire the skills needed to survive in an increasingly challenging world.

He made the remarks while opening a $75,000 St Agnes Primary School Kindergarten in Nabua today which was made possible through donations from overseas and constructed by RFMF engineers.

"As education is one of the main priorities for the Government of today as it is crucial to building a better future for Fiji," Bainimarama said.
 
“We will invest more in education, we will continue to support our teachers and we will build a stronger partnership between Government and independent schools, so that we can continue to promote the acquisition of knowledge and skills."

He highlighted a number of efforts by Government aimed at ensuring basic education to all children such as the free bus fare programme, the free text book initiative and the food voucher programme so “that even the poorest student can attend school without putting too much stress on the family budget”.

“These might seem small gestures to some people, but they are some of the things we have done as a Government that have given me the greatest pride,” PM told parents, teachers, school management and the students of St Agnes who were gathered at the Nabua school today.

Prime Minister Bainimarama, who called the kindergarten a labour of love, said the opening was an important one because there were not enough kindergartens in Fiji.

A proud St Agnes head master, Simione Wanono, said they hope to take in 60 children who will be catered for in two sessions.

By Indrani Krishna