Students of Muaira District School in Naitasiri will attend classes in a newly- constructed school building worth $1.5 million when school starts next year.
Overwhelming joy was seen on the faces of parents and guardians as they realised the new building would be a new learning haven for their young ones.
Muaira District School, which was damaged in 2016 by Tropical Cyclone Winston, had left students attending classes in teachers’ quarters and in run-down school buildings for more than four years.
School headteacher Jope Lalagaseru said the students, teachers and parents were fortunate to be allowed to have a new learning complex built for children in the district.
Mr Lalagaseru said the old building was damaged during TC Winston so students and teachers had to rearrange themselves to attend classes.
“Some of the students had to attend classes in the teacher’s quarters and others had to attend classes in half-completed or run-down buildings in the school premises,” Mr Lalagaseru said.
“The newly-constructed building will be for Year 3 to Year 8 classrooms, a computer lab, a headteacher’s office and the staff room,” he said.
“We have two more renovated classrooms which will be used for Year 1 and Year 2. At the moment we have 166 students, two kindergarten teachers and eight teachers.”
He said the school catered for students from four villages.
“Students from two villages have to cross the river daily to attend classes but now they fund their dormitories at school instead of travelling daily across the river,” he said.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, in opening the new building, said they had rehabilitated three buildings, completed major structural upgrading works for two buildings and constructed a new double-storey building.
“We’ve had to make these improvements because, as we know, COVID-19 is not the only global crisis we face. Climate change and the stronger storms, rising seas, flooding and erratic weather it brings present the most serious threat to young Fijian’s future,” he said.
“In recent years, climate-driven damage to schools alone have cost us hundreds of millions of dollars.
“By making investments to strengthen our schools, we save ourselves costs from rebuilding down the line.
“Not to mention, schools should be the most cyclone-resilient structure in every community because over 300 schools throughout Fiji serve as evacuation centres during severe weather events.”
The villages that the school serves are Botenaulu, Matainasau, Lutu and Waibasaga.
