Government of Tonga launched the Tonga Safe and Resilient Schools Project
13 December, 2022. The Honourable Prime Minister of Tonga HU’AKAVAMEILIKU today launched the TONGA SAFE AND RESILIENT SCHOOLS PROJECT (TSRSP).
This USD29.53 million project is financed through grants from the International Development Association (the World Bank’s fund for the world’s most in-need countries), with the generous support of USD25million from the World Bank (WB) and USD4.53 million from the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade Australia (DFAT).
The Project aims to strengthen Tonga’s Education Sector by (i) enhancing the safety and resilience of selected education facilities and (ii) to improve the quality of data-driven education management, curricula, and assessments in the selected educational programs. TSRSP was effective as of 8th March 2022 and will be implemented until September 2027.
Through TSRSP, WB reiterates its long-term commitment to supporting Tonga’s efforts to build its resilience and ensure it can respond better and with confidence to drive effective recovery from the impacts of future natural disasters.
Mr Isikeli Oko, the ACEO for the Ministry of Education and Training (MET) welcomed the Guests with specials thanks to Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, who is also the Minister for MET together with Mr Donald Mortimore, Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Tonga and Ms Simone Esler of the World Bank and her in-country mission team for TSRSP, Mr Andrew Hurley, Mr Janssen Teixeira and Ms Georgina McAuthur.
The students and teachers of the Fasi moe afi Government Middle School (GMS) performed beautiful group tau’olunga items, showing their appreciation to the WB, as one of the 25 schools who benefitted from the school reconstructions following TC Gita, under the WB funded Pacific Resilience Project (PREP).
“Building on the lessons learnt under PREP school reconstruction and now continuation under the TSRSP, I am pleased to be here with you all, to mark the beginning of a project, that will be transformational for both the physical environment in which our children will learn and grow but also be complemented with better quality of education” stated Honourable Hu’akavameiliku.
MET Deputy CEO Mr Manu ‘Akauola delivered the vote of thanks on behalf of the Government of Tonga, he requested the WB mission team for their continued assistance and support for MET, TSRSP Project Manager – Mr Siaosi Tupou and the PMU team, their WB liaison officer Ms Natalia Latu, the Central Services Unit for all Tonga WB Projects and all key stakeholders towards a successful implementation.
The Guest of Honour, Hu’akavameiliku concluded the launch by wishing our children, teachers, administrators, and friends from the World Bank & DFAT a safe and very Merry Christmas and wished a great success for the Tonga Safe and Resilient Schools Project.
