Students and teachers at Domonisavu Primary School in Nayarabale, Cakaudrove, could greatly benefit from the introduction of electricity, which has been absent at the school for the past seven years. The school, situated 60 kilometers from Labasa town, serves 67 students from kindergarten through eighth grade and has five teachers on staff.
School manager Manoa Tamaitugi recounted the history of electricity at the institution, noting that when the community built the school in 1960, they relied on kerosene lamps and later invested in a generator. In 2007, they received a large solar panel from the European Union, which unfortunately broke down after a decade of service.
Since 2017, the school has made both verbal and written requests to the Ministry of Education for assistance in acquiring new solar panels. Currently, teachers must travel to Labasa to print worksheets, exam papers, and other educational materials due to the lack of electricity.
Tamaitugi underscored the transformative potential of electricity for the school, saying enhanced lighting would enable students to attend extra classes and that teachers would benefit from better teaching aids like televisions, laptops, and projectors. The availability of Wi-Fi and charging facilities for devices would also significantly improve the educational environment.
The student body comes from nearby communities, including Nayarable Village, Baleyaganiga Settlement, Nayaqalevu Settlement, Tabia Settlement, Dokanaisuva Settlement, and Namagala Settlement. The school’s infrastructure includes four classrooms, a library, an early childhood education center, the headteacher’s office, and four teacher quarters.
Parents recognize that Domonisavu Primary is a rural school but continue to urge Tamaitugi to seek support from the Ministry of Education, especially as urban schools receive assistance from the government. The school currently has no network coverage, requiring teachers to hike to the mountains just to make phone calls.
Tamaitugi expressed hope that the government might assist with solar panels, thereby inspiring students to excel in their studies. When approached during a parliamentary session, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro assured that he would investigate the matter and provide a response.