Bucalevu Secondary School in Taveuni is preparing for its centennial celebration in January next year.
It was initially set up as a male-only school and this was reflected in the curriculum of the government-established school.
The school sits on the hill at Lovonivonu, overlooking the village and has weathered a range of challenges since it was established in 1922. One former scholar in particular is looking forward to the 100th anniversary event.
Unaisi Satini Maituatua created history by becoming the first girl to be enrolled at the school in the early ’70s when it was known as Provincial School Northern.
As part of a trial enrolment, she joined the school body as a form two student in 1974.
Reminiscing about her schooldays in the early ’70s, Diuna, as she is commonly known, said her late grandfather, Ratu Solomoni Satini – who was also the Tui Rabe at the time – asked if she wanted to enrol at the school as the first female student.
She had just completed her class seven level primary education at Somosomo District School when the provincial school opened its doors to female students.
“I hesitated at first because I always wanted to have my own way,” the 60-year-old said. “But he told me that I had no choice, I had to enrol at Bucalevu because he was the landowner and he greatly supported the school.
“So I accepted his decision and enrolled as the first female student and life became very challenging after that because I was surrounded by male colleagues in school.
“I had to cut my hair very short and made to look more like a boy and it was only when I wore my green dress that people realised I was a female student at the school and the only one.”
Diuna said the first few weeks were tough. She was teased, ridiculed and stared at by boys and made to feel that she didn’t fit in.
Diuna said she didn’t give in to their intimidation and gradually settled in and used the situation to her advantage.
“It wasn’t easy being the only female student among other boys, but I used their intimidating acts to strengthen my character so I could stand up to them.
“I never cried or complained to my parents and grandfather about the challenges I faced in school, but I took it like a man as they always say. “When I did that, they left me alone.
“And the tables turned, it was my turn to stand back and watch them get a spanking or being disciplined by teachers for their misbehaviour.” Diuna said she was favoured by the faculty probably because she was the only girl.
“There was a schoolteacher from Nadroga also at the school and he used to advise me on ways of handling tough situations with boys. “So in the first term, I never got disciplined, I was always spared.
But during the second term, I also got disciplined and I got on well with the male students and we had fun.”
Diuna said she thanked God for the challenges she faced.
“Even the challenges I faced while attending Somosomo District School, having to walk every day with other students from Lovonivonu to Somosomo Village was not easy.
“Even during rainy days, we’d walk to school and back home, but it was fun because there were many students and we had a lot of stories to share while walking.
“Those tough days in Bucalevu turned me into a very strong woman.
I survived even the most dark days of my life and I easily got jobs in security companies in Suva.”
After she completed her form two level studies at Bucalevu, she pursued other academic short courses with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and did casual jobs around the city area.
“As I got older, I applied for a job with the Takayawa’s security company and I worked in various companies as a security officer, including the Australian Embassy.
“I didn’t look at jobs as whether it was for men or women. I just grabbed whatever came my way because of the kind of life I lived while on Taveuni.”
Former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who also attended the school, said the provincial school was established to educate sons of chiefs from the three provinces
of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata.
“At that time, it only had classes six, seven and eight which was form one and form two and we were feeder schools to Queen Victoria School and Ratu Kadavulevu School,” he said.
“The other provincial school was on Kadavu and in Sawani, which later became Adi Cakobau School.”
