Children recognised for their act of bravery
“EDUCATION is a key factor in promoting development and has a positive impact on the Fijian economy and the overall health of its citizens.”This was the sentiment expressed by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar, while speaking at the Namaka Public School 60th Anniversary celebrations in Nadi.
“Education goes a long way and investing in education is one of the most important ways with which we can improve our world,” Minister Akbar said.
“The Namaka Public School 60th Anniversary celebration is an important event for acknowledging the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the founder, management and
teachers of students of this school over the years.”
“Schools play a very important role in promoting a knowledge-based society and ensuring students have the skills and information to make good choices and to be able to contribute to Fiji’s development”.
Minister Akbar reminded students, teachers, and guardians that the Fijian Government believes in investing in children’s education.
“Education is one of the priorities for the Government and it is the greatest investment we can make in our future. Education is also key to gender equality through women’s empowerment and by creating academic pathways and leadership opportunities for girls and instilling respect and values in boys.”
“The Fijian Government has been consistent through the national budgetary process, investing millions into the education sector. For this financial year (2022-2023), $16.6 million has been allocated to fund scholarships, study loans, grants and this speaks volumes of the Government’s commitment and vision for an educated society,” she said.
Minister Akbar also encouraged parents to give their best possible opportunities to their children and that means a lot of love and affection and a lot of care and attention to the children.
“From Government’s perspective, it is very much about the future of the country. As you can see, all the policies of the Government are focused on building the future of Fiji and when it comes to human resources, Government’s policies focus on education - in ensuring a highly educated Fijian society by making access to education easier.”
The Minister encouraged students to work hard in their academics as education has the power to transform lives, provided they are prepared to make sacrifices along the way.