Education Minister Aseri Radrodro yesterday commended the work carried out by the FijiFirst administration for the new classroom block at Queen Victoria School.
Commissioning the $3 million classroom block, Mr Radrodro said it would be remiss of him to not acknowledge the work carried out by the previous government in negotiating the school project and seeing it get off the ground.
“Your Coalition Government came in and saw to its completion,” he said.
“And that is why we must always put our national interests above any other interests.”
The project was made possible by a bilateral agreement with the Indonesian Government after the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston at QVS in 2016.
In April last year, a $10m hostel facility was opened by former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama while 16 new classrooms were completed this year.
Mr Radrodro said the old school block had withstood many tropical cyclones since the laying of its foundation in 1950.
“And the devastation of Tropical Cyclone Winston saw that building destroyed and in need of replacement.
“The Fijian Government, being the owner of the school, acknowledges the government of Indonesia in adopting QVS in the adopt-a-school program launched in 2016. From the scoping work worth $10m to the construction of the hostel, and these new 16 classrooms amounting to $3m.
“The Ministry of Education is grateful to the partnership of other government agencies including the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in ensuring compliance to industry standards and specifications, subject to the necessary approvals of the Government on the implementation of this grant agreement.
“We have to ensure that the investment of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia is well managed so that our students will enjoy learning in such a facility for a long time.”
