Japan’s Ambassador to Fiji, Michii Rokuichiro, encouraged students at Dreketi Central College (DCC) in Macuata to embrace education and strive for academic excellence during a recent visit. The ambassador was joined by Coalition Government assistant ministers and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, for the ceremony marking the handover of three newly constructed classrooms, which were funded by the Japanese Government.
The classrooms were built with a funding total of $333,784 provided through the Japanese Government’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) programme. Ambassador Rokuichiro stated that these new facilities symbolize a gateway to knowledge and educational growth. In addition to the classrooms, the college also received three tables and chairs for teachers, as well as 120 new desks and chairs for students.
He urged students to take ownership of the resources and to make good use of them. “We have a strong bilateral relationship with Fiji and the education sector is an area in which we consistently seek to provide support,” he remarked.
Minister Prasad expressed pride in seeing his former school equipped with quality infrastructure, acknowledging the ambassador’s contributions and highlighting the positive impact of the new classrooms on current students.
School manager Savenaca Vakacego shared his commitment to ensuring the construction of new cyclone-resilient classrooms and emphasized the importance of the timely assistance from the Japanese government. “Your support will always be remembered by our community, students, teachers, and parents,” Mr. Vakacego stated. He noted that from the initial planning stages of the project to its realization, patience was essential. Currently, the school serves 364 students from Years 9 to 13 and also hosts a technical college.