A-G: Outrigger Helps Students Access
The event is a community initiative led by the resort to foster community involvement in the upgrading of education in the Nadroga/Navosa Province.
The Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has praised the management and staff of Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort for complementing Government’s efforts in ensuring Fijian students have access to quality education.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum officiated at the Outrigger Walk for Kids 2018 programme alongside 150 people including students and stakeholders in Sigatoka yesterday. The event is a community-initiative led by the resort to foster community involvement in the upgrading of education in the Nadroga/Navosa Province.
He said: “The Outrigger is now famous for having a ... fantastic reputation in the work that they do in the community. If I can probably sound a bit biased and say it's the only hotel that engages in the community in such a manner throughout Fiji.”
“I would like to thank the leadership at the Outrigger. Education is a very special and dear thing to the Government.
“As you know we have made education free in Fiji. We now have access to tertiary education and we have subsidy for transportation amongst others.
“But the special schools also need special attention,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum added. He thanked various members of the community who participated in the walk including the Sigatoka Special School; the parents association, the board of governors and the committees, Coral Kennedy and the head teachers.
“They have been the unsung heroes for a number of decades until many of these issues have been mainstreamed. Without them many of the schools would never have been in the shape that they are today,” he said.
The A-G also pledged $20,000 towards the initiative from various sponsors to add to the total $42,000 collected in the cause. Outrigger general manager Peter Hopgood said, “this is the fourth year that we have undertaken this walkathon. “I acknowledge our sales and reservations team from the resort. Every month we un dertake a community project and the month of April is dedicated to the sales and reservations team.
“Money raised from this year’s walkathon will assist in purchasing a 4WD vehicle for the teachers at the Sigatoka Special School. This will allow the teachers to visit the “special needs” children up the valley that cannot make it to the Special Needs School.
“Over the past three years they have been able to build new walkways and railings at the Special School.
“In 2016 we constructed a carpentry workshop for the boys at the school. In April 2017 he attended a graduation ceremony at the school wherein 11 of the boys received their certificate in carpentry.
“Over the past 18 months they had a number of the boys undertaking work experience at the resort.
“The most outstanding outcome has been that the boys are now using their skills in gainful employment.
“The money raised will also be used for the construction of two new teacher's houses at the Conua School.
“Outrigger’s involvement in the Conua School has simply been outstanding. When we first visited the school in 2010 there were 55 students.
“This year 165 students are enrolled. Back in 2010 the pass rate was 38%. Last year the pass rate was 87%.”
He thanked sponsors Goodman Fielder, Please Beverages, Coastal Entertainment, Kula Wild Adventure Park, Castaway Island Fiji, Higgins, Fiji Roads Authority, Fiji Police, Land Transport Authority and National Fire Authority.