Fiji is indebted to a lot of people for their life of service to the nation. Some of those individuals include those who served faithfully in classrooms and in establishing policies that ensured the education Fijian children received prepared them for life after school.
In an article published on November 18, 1978, one such individual was highlighted for the 48 years she served in the education sector.
Inez Hames came to Fiji in 1920 and made a substantial contribution in the field of education as a schoolteacher during a time which saw the beginning of far-reaching changes for the Fijian people.
She was awarded a Certificate of Honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 1967 for her work Although Ms Hames retired to New Zealand, she would frequently visit Fiji.
“I have a great deal of affection for this country and its people,” she said.
She was born in 1892 in North Auckland in a staunch Methodist family and trained as a schoolteacher.
“It was a time of strong missionary feeling. The idea of evangelising the world was rooted in me.”
She belonged to the Christian Student Movement and the Methodist Church.
“I felt as if it was a call of God to serve the people of Fiji so I offered to come here.” On arrival she was appointed to Vunivutu Fijian Boys School in Ba.
“Most of the boys were big fellows, many were starting their education at 16.”
She said missionaries had begun teaching native Fijians in 1840.
By the time Ms Hames came, the mission education system was well established “but English was taught at a very low level because the missionaries thought it was unnecessary for the Fijians to learn English”.
Some thought if the language was taught extensively, it would make the Fijians mischievous.
Ms Hames disapproved of this idea and redoubled her efforts in teaching English to her students.
“It was one of the five schools under the principalship of C O Lelean” Davuilevu was well-known for its teacher training institution, theological training, technical school and Lelean Secondary School.
“It seems that the real education began when the government took interest and started the funding.”
Ms Hames recalled the old days when living conditions were like village life at the school.
She was a determined worker taking two teacher training classes daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. When she walked the street of Suva, Ms Hames would meet many of her former students.
“It gives me great delight to see many prominent citizens and leaders of Fiji who were our ex-students.”
She was head of the girls’ school at Richmond Kadavu during the war years.
“Girls were not as well educated as boys so I suggested setting up a school for girls.”
In 1944, the Mission Education Committee appointed her to Matavelo Girls School in Nailaga, Ba. After 18 years she saw many changes.
“The school was called Ba Mission High School and had become co-educational and multi-racial.”
In those days the roads were poor or non-existent and travelling was hard.
After many years of working, Ms Hames went home to Auckland where she remained for 12 years, teaching handicapped children.
However, she was stirred into returning to Fiji so she travelled back in 1962 to fill a vacancy as a part-time English teacher at Ballantine Memorial School in Muanikau, Suva.
During this time she had produced a couple of easy reading books for the Education Department for primary school use.
She also compiled her memoirs in a book called Remember.
In 1968 she joined the staff of Nausori Tutorial College which provided education for boys and girls who could not gain admittance to other schools.
Unfortunately, in July 1971, during an English lesson Ms Hames fainted, fell and injured her back.
“So, I ended my long teaching career.”
But her mind as a teacher was still sharp as ever when called upon to recall old memories.
As she puts it, it was as easy as breathing.
