Students from nearby islands and villages no longer face the challenges of traveling long distances to attend Lekutu Secondary School and Lekutu District School, thanks to the construction of a new boarding house funded by the Australia Cyclone Recovery Program. This initiative also included the establishment of a new dining hall, classrooms, teachers’ quarters, and washroom facilities, which were completed last month.
These new facilities are a significant development for students seeking education in the remote Lekutu district of Vanua Levu. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka officially inaugurated the new facilities alongside the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, Ewen McDonald. The $11.3 million project is now benefiting 425 students and teachers.
The schools had suffered substantial damage from Tropical Cyclone Yasa, which struck Fiji in 2020 and disrupted the education of approximately 400 students at that time. During the opening ceremony, Mr. Rabuka expressed his gratitude to the Australian Government and its people for their continued support. He emphasized that the partnership between Fiji and Australia extends into various sectors, including development and education assistance, noting that this project represents the positive outcomes of such collaboration.
Mr. Rabuka highlighted that this three-year project demonstrates the hard work and commitment of all those involved and emphasized that education would not only benefit the Lekutu community but also the province of Bua and Fiji as a whole. He reaffirmed the government’s pledge to prioritize education and ensure that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
He encouraged students, teachers, and school management to take ownership of the new facilities, urging them to make the most of the resources provided by the Australian Government to enhance quality, inclusive education in Lekutu. Suresh Sharma, the principal of Lekutu Secondary School, expressed appreciation for the timely assistance from the Australian Government, stating that the new facilities will significantly aid students in their learning endeavors.
The program was executed in collaboration with the Australian High Commission and the Ministry of Education.