IN NUMBERS 45

The number of retiring teachers whose work was recognised by the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts in Lautoka on December 31, 2020. The teachers were recognised in an awards ceremony held at Natabua High School

Four close friends that graduated from Corpus Christi Teachers College in 1987 were among the 45 retirees who were recognised for their service during an awards ceremony in Lautoka on Thursday.

The awards ceremony that took place at Natabua High School is a first of its kind, organised by the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts to honour school teachers who are now retiring around the country and had devoted their lives to the service of educating Fiji’s future leaders.

The four friends, Elenoa Nainima, who is the Head Teacher at Saint Joan of Arc Primary School in Sigatoka, Atekini Duaibe, the Head Teacher at Tuvu Primary School in Lautoka, Luke Nausuludriu, the Head Teacher at Navala Catholic School in Ba and Farasiko Tovolea, the Head Teacher at Vatukoula Convent School were content to be recognised for their service.

They were educated under the leadership of Fr Brian Wilson who now resides in New Zealand. Ms Nainima, a mother of four children has been teaching for the last 33 years, where the majority of her years were spent in non-Catholic schools.

“One thing I can recall is when we graduated, at that time Archbishop Petero Mataca was with us. He encouraged us to practice what we teach and teach what we practice,” she said.

“Even though we were teaching non-Catholic schools, we were professing our faith, we were proud of it.”

Mr Duaibe, a father of 11 children has been teaching for the last 32 years and will now settle to spend quality time with his family.

“I also plan to venture out into starting my own business later,” he said.

Mr Tovolea said his success story after teaching for 32 years was teaching children the basics of ing in school.

“The joy of teaching is teaching children how to read and write and add in Mathematics, seeing them succeed brings me happiness,” he said. com.fj be

Photo: Nicolette Chambers From left: Farasiko Tovolea, Elenoa Nainima, Atekini Duaibe and Luke Nausuludriu with their recognition awards during the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts awards ceremony dedicated to the retiring teachers in the Western Division on December 31, 2020.