From Vanuatu to Fiji
Meta considers her work a ‘calling’
TEACHERS are considered noble professionals because of the role they play in shaping the future of society.
By educating the next generation of citizens, they inspire students, helping them find their voice and purpose in the world.
Neselida Meta is one of these special people. She hails from Nanigama in Vanuatu, but she and her two children consider Fiji their special home away from home.
The 42-year-old moved to Fiji took up the role as secretary general of the Council of Pacific Education (COPE), where she oversees the welfare of the Pacific education fraternity.
A dedicated educator for more than 20 years, she had a tough up bringing. Those challenges, however, shaped her into the person she is today.
“From a very young age, I was given the huge responsibility of looking after my seven siblings after my father passed away.
“My mum, who was a farmer and a market vendor, became the sole-breadwinner of the family.
“She ensured food was always on the table, the children were adequately clothed and school fees paid on time,” she said.
With her mum’s unerring support, Ms Meta excelled in school and was later chosen to attend Malapoa College, a prestigious high school in Vanuatu.
She progressively applied for teaching studies and was accepted.
“I was supposed to complete my Year 13, but I thought of my mother and my siblings.
“I wanted to help her take care of the family.”
After three years of hard work at the Vanuatu Teachers College, she graduated and grew passionate about her newfound career because she loved being in the company of children.
During her tenure as a teacher, she was dedicated to guiding and molding them holistically.
She said it was a “calling” rather than a “career”, something her father had predicted when she was younger.
As Ms Meta’s career evolved, she became involved with the Vanuatu Teachers Union and the Council of Pacific Education (COPE), and through her efforts within these organisations, she was awarded the Alisi Fusi Wightman Scholarship to study in New Zealand in 2013.
In 2016, she was chosen to serve as COPE women’s coordinator and took on the role of COPE president in 2019 before moving up ladder to assume her current role.
She said her journey was not an easy one. It challenged her family life and work, but she remained calm through the storm.
Ms Meta is a single mother juggling a demanding role in the education sector.
She is a living example of a woman who has defied all odds.
“Every day is a new learning opportunity. Grasp it once you have the chance,” she said