School celebrates 50th year
NAVUSO Agriculture School marked its 50th anniversary with feasting, songs and dance in October 1973.
The chief guest was the Governor-General of Fiji, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, who spoke about the school’s history.
A report on this huge celebration was in The Fiji Times on October 15, 1973.
The day began with a traditional Fijian ceremony of welcome for the GovernorGeneral.
Ken Edwards was the head of the school at the time.
Three past principals – Carl Vasey, Doug Brown and Geoff Bamford – also attended the celebrations.
The first school principal was Ben Meek.
In those days, Navuso was operating successfully with aid from Australia and the Australian Methodist Church.
The report read the third secretary of the Canadian High Commission in Canberra, John Duiner, and the assistant connexional secretary of the Methodist Church, the Reverend Josateki Koroi, officially opened the school’s adult rural training centre.
Work began on the centre in 1972 with finance from the Canadian British Columbia Aid and the Australian Methodist Mission Appeal.
The emphasis at Navuso was always on practical work, despite outside pressures for an academic course.
It was also reported that in the early days of Navuso, the students grew produce in their own farming areas and 75 per cent of the income from the areas went into their bank accounts.
At first, courses were for two years but were later extended to three years.
One of Navuso’s notable achievements was the establishment of a student farmer scheme at the school property made possible through a government grant.