THREE secondary schools in the Central Division are using the power of sports to motivate their students to do well academically and in sports this year.
Part of their initiative was a combined inter-house athletics competition held yesterday at the ANZ Stadium in Suva to inspire their athletes to the coming Fiji Secondary Schools Athletics Association Fiji Finals or the Coca-Cola Games on April 22-24.
The schools are Nakasi High in Nasinu, Davuilevu High and Noco Secondary School in Rewa. Nakasi High School principal Pravin Chand said combining the three schools was for several reasons.
“We wanted to lift the standard of competition among our students,” Chand said.
“First it was about sharing the cost of using the ANZ Stadium because we are small schools. Second it is to build competitions among the students because they will be competing against each other, and also to build relationship for the unity that is needed across the border.
“Noco in Rewa is part of our Girmit history. Rewa was where our forefathers landed and combining the competition unites us and helps us promote the message of living together.
“We are trying to raise the bench in sports, academically and living together in harmony as Fijians. Sports is a special language. It can unite races, people, nations and dissolve differences. Sports can lift spirits. It is a powerful tool and by coming together under one banner, it helps us teach our students unity to become better future leaders of this nation.”
Chand said his school would try to select its best 10 athletes for the Coca-Cola Games and his team, after yesterday’s inter-house, would have one month to prepare for the Nausori, Nasinu and Naitasiri (Tripple N) Zone competition.
Noco Secondary School principal Jone Tuitavua said his students had been boosted with an overwhelming support from parents.
His Davuilevu High School counterpart, Parnesh Kumar said their students were in for a learning curve since the school started three years ago.
