Tupou College celebrates 145th Anniversary next week [1]
Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 22:12. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
TUPOU College, Tonga's oldest secondary school marks its 145th anniversary next week with celebrations in Tongatapu next week and it is expected to draw in thousands of ex-students from the outer islands and abroad.
Tomasi Fakahua, a member of the Tupou College Ex-Students committee, said on June 16, the celebration would begin on Sunday, June 18 with a special welcoming of their visiting ex-students at Toloa.
The formal program would begin on Tuesday, June 21 with an Ex-Students march through central Nuku'alofa.
The celebration also coincides with the Annual Free Wesleyan Church Conference that also begins on June 21-29 in Nuku'alofa.
Tomasi said the big day of celebration is on Saturday, June 25 where a Prayer Service marking the 145th anniversary would be held at Toloa and conducted by Rev Siupeli Taliai, the college's first Tongan principal.
Celebrations would then continue with feasting, entertainment and fundraising at Toloa.
The ex-students are also targeting to raise $2 million pa'anga to mark the 145th anniversary, he said.
Tupou College is a Methodist boys' secondary boarding school owned by the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.
It was established in 1866 by the Wesleyan church missionary, Rev. James Egan Moulton.