Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning and Ni Sa Bula Vinaka

It is my great honour and privilege to represent the Government and people of Japan in the official opening of the new classroom block comprising of three classrooms with furniture here at Lomaivuna High School this morning.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your warm and friendly welcome extended to me and my colleagues today.

Japan, through its various assistance programmes, has endeavoured to assist the people of Fiji by contributing to the development of educational facilities for students. The Lomaivuna High School project is one of the outcomes of such initiatives.

Upon verification with our economic researchers of the Embassy, the Form 3 classrooms were confirmed to be at a very poor condition with leaking roof, missing floor timbers and cracked walls, requiring the need to enhance safety for. The Embassy of Japan is therefore, honoured to provide assistance to the school in order to improve learning environment under better conditions.  

Since its establishment in 1972, Lomaivuna High School has progressively served the people of Lomaivuna village and the neighbouring communities in imparting knowledge and education to the students and I am confident that these new classrooms will not only improve the school’s profile, but also provide opportunities for students to enjoy learning in a better learning environment.

This Project was implemented through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Programme, known as GGP in short, and is in line with Japan’s overall Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy of Human security. Human security means focusing on individual people and building societies in which everyone can live with dignity by protecting and empowering the individual’s environment and communities that are exposed to actual or potential difficulties and challenges, especially in their daily lives. GGP seeks to serve towards “Human Security” based on such principles.

Investments in education will not only benefit individuals but the community at large, and not only for now but also the future generations. Education is vital for everybody as it guides us to a better life with dignity through improvements in the capacity of individuals. Therefore, I recognise that human resource development is one of the largest elements supporting human security. At the same time, education is also very important for socio-economic development of any country.

In fact, only one hundred years ago, Japan was merely a small, poorly-resourced developing country, but its enhancement on education contributed immensely to Japan’s economic success. Therefore, Japan has continued to focus its assistance to other countries in the field of education.

Currently, such Japan’s concept has been widely shared among the international community and it has contributed towards one of the major goals of United Nations MDGs which aims to maximise the spread of primary education until 2015.

It is widely known that the Fijian people are very passionate on their children’s education; therefore, I am very glad to have an opportunity to play an important role in developing Fiji’s education sector through our GGP projects. I am confident that this project will also contribute towards strengthening the friendship between the people and governments of Japan and Fiji.

To conclude, I wish to express my hope that, with proper maintenance, these new classrooms will serve the needs of the students of Lomaivuna High School and neighbouring communities for many years ahead. Students, now you have good facilities and teachers to guide you. The responsibility is on you. Please study hard, make the most of every precious time spent in this school, and aim to become good and productive citizens of this country.

Thank You, and Vinaka Vakalevu.