Students at Lekutu Secondary School and Lekutu District School no longer face the challenges of traveling from remote islands and villages to access education. The recent completion of a new boarding house, funded by the Australia Cyclone Recovery Program, has provided a significant boost to these schools.
In addition to the boarding house, the new facilities include a dining hall, classrooms, teachers’ accommodation, and washroom facilities, all of which were opened last month. These updates are a significant step forward for students in the Lekutu district, located in Vanua Levu, where access to education has been a struggle.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, alongside Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Ewen McDonald, formally inaugurated the upgraded facilities. The $11.3 million project now serves 425 students and teachers following extensive damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Yasa in 2020, which affected the education of 400 pupils attending the schools at that time.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Rabuka expressed gratitude to the Australian government and its people for their continuous support. “The bilateral partnership between Fiji and Australia encompasses development and educational assistance, and today’s event reflects the results of this collaboration,” he stated.
He emphasized that the infrastructure project marks a new era for learning in Lekutu and acknowledged the collective efforts that made it possible. Mr. Rabuka affirmed that education is a priority not just for Lekutu but for the entire province of Bua and Fiji as a whole. He pledged to ensure that every child has the opportunity to fulfill their potential and encouraged the community to take responsibility for the new facilities.
Lekutu Secondary School principal Suresh Sharma conveyed his appreciation for the timely support from the Australian government, highlighting that the new facilities would greatly enhance the learning experience for students. The initiative was a joint effort between the Australian High Commission and the Ministry of Education.