An article published on November 4 1984, by The Fiji Times shared the story of how the young men of Lodoni in Tailevu built their own school hall, marking a new era of self-reliance in the school.
It shared how Ratu Kadavulevu School was fast becoming a self-sufficient and commercially-viable institution.
The completion of a self-built community hall, the establishment of a 4500-mound yaqona farm and diversification into cocoa and vanilla was clear indication of what the school would develop into.
The report quoted school principal Amraiya Naidu as saying the purpose of the self-help projects was to draw the attention of the students to the cash economy.
“The enthusiasm generated, hopefully, will get a number of them to start ventures when they leave here,” Mr Naidu said. The community hall, built over five years by vocational students who spent two days each week building the complex, was opened by the acting prime minister, Ratu David Toganivalu.
“It was pleasing to learn that RKS has not waited for the government to do everything, and the self-help scheme is precisely the kind that the government encouraged and tried to help, if at all possible,” Ratu David said.
He congratulated the students and teachers for spending $35,000 less than the estimated cost of $200,000 allocated to them by the government.
“This is an incredible achievement considering the ever-increasing cost of materials today,” Ratu David said.
He said that while there had been considerable improvement in the academic performance of Fijian students since independence, Indian students improved by a wider margin.
“After a recent comprehensive examination, it was felt that concerted action was necessary and the government has responded accordingly,” he said.
