His Excellency Mr. Yukio Numata, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Tonga handed over the new classroom building during a handover ceremony held at the school compound, in Veitongo. Hon. Semisi Fakahau, Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries attended the ceremony along with Mr. Claude Tupou, CEO Ministry of Education and Training, the Parents and Teachers and the student of Veitongo GPS.
The Ambassador congratulated the completion of the Project which not only provides a healthy learning environment for the students, but which will also serve as a refuge center for the community in times of natural disasters. In his speech, the Ambassador referred to the reconfirmation made between Prime Minister Abe and the leaders of Pacific nations at the Japan-Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting last week on the 20th , during the UN General Assembly in NY, that Japan will continue its commitment of PALM7 which includes Japans cooperation in areas such as disaster risk reduction, and explained how the new classroom building has turned out in being a good testimony of that promise.
Hon. Semisi Fakahau acknowledged the generous assistance from the people and Government of Japan and the invariable contribution benefiting the students of Veitongo GPS and his constituency. Mr. Claude Tupou on behalf of Hon. Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva, Prime Minister and the Minister of Education to Tonga, thanked the ongoing support and assistance from the People and Government of Japan in upgrading the learning environments of schools around the Kingdom. He also explained that a large number of the classrooms in Tonga are below standard, and emphasized the significance of the Japanese assistance conducted throughout the Kingdom.
The Parent’s and Teacher’s Association, PTA for Veitongo GPS sought for Japan’s assistance prioritizing a safer and healthier educational environment for their students. The new classroom building has a partition wall and is equipped with cyclone shutters, which can also serve as a multipurpose hall or an evacuation center. (Kindly refer to attached Project Factsheet for detail of assistance.)
Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects was introduced in 1989 and in Tonga; over 137 projects have been implemented in the field of Education till now. The assistance epitomize Japan’s commitment to support efforts by the People and the Government of Tonga to achieve its National Strategic Planning Framework, and also hope to strengthen the warm and close relations between the people and the Government of Japan and the people of the Kingdom of Tonga.
H.E. Mr. Numata with Hon. Fakahau and Mr. Tupou in front of the new classroom building
For further information, click the above