Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro has assured the people of Yaroi, Matuku in the Lau group that the Ministry is considering proposing the establishment of a Secondary School on the island.

The Minister presented the proposal during a Talanoa session in Yaroi.

The villagers during the Talanoa session raised concerns about their safety, their future and means to address the ongoing rural-to-urban migration challenge.

The Education Minister states that building schools in not new and something his Ministry can look into.

“It was an initiative that started way back then, but somehow it was incomplete, and this is something that they would like to request the assistance of the Ministry of Education to continue the rebuilding and the completion of the proposed secondary school.”

Radrodro says there is no timeline set now but they are working full-time to initiate the paperwork.

Village Headman Tomu Tuivaga highlights the villagers’ fears regarding the social issues and drug-related problems prevalent in Suva, which have deterred many parents from sending their children to the city for further education.

“By establishing a secondary school in Yaroi, we can provide our children with quality education within the safety of our home environment and prevent them from being exposed to the risks that come with living in urban areas.”

The proposed secondary school is seen as a solution to not only retain the village’s younger population but also to foster community development.