Today thousands of students around the country will pack their bags, don their uniforms and head to school for the beginning of another new year of learning.
We’ve had two years of developments on the education front.
We had education put on hold at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and last year we slowly inched out of that dilemma. We had four terms to start with.
Schools had to draw on safety measures to ensure our children were safe in the school environment in the face of the pandemic. We’ve since come out of the containment mode, and back into the three terms of school.
It has been a slow progression, but a very important one for education and for the future of our nation. In our urban centres, today also brings with it other issues such as the expected traffic congestion.
This is where our police force will come in handy. We can only hope people will be considerate while on our many roads around the country.
In the face of emotional responses and episodes, let us stick to the rules that govern road usage. To our students, we hope the start of another school term brings with it good things.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka urged parents and guardians to be mindful of their children’s safety.
Mr Rabuka cited an example where a woman on Friday in Seaqaqa saved a family from drowning while they were being swept away in a car because of heavy rain.
“Try to always safeguard your children as we begin the new school year,” he said.
“Always try to take precautions when you know a disaster is ahead of you.”
The PM also reminded children about the importance of being obedient in life. It is an important message.
As we head out to our various destinations today, aside from the safety aspect highlighted by the PM, we can all cut back on frustration and anger by doing a couple of things.
Perhaps we could leave a little bit earlier from tomorrow if we were late today.
We could perhaps consider the fact there are thousands of other parents and guardians, and people commuting to work who are affected by traffic congestion just like us.
Let’s keep a look out for our law enforcers on the road and allow them to do their job to guide us safely through the traffic congestion.
We can make this year enjoyable for our children, and empower them. We wish every student a happy day back at school today.
