Minister of Education introduces new language policy for Tongan schools

The Ministry of Education will launch its new language policy for all Tongan schools at the beginning of the 2012 school year in February. Dr 'Ana Taufe'ulungaki, the Minister of Education, said that under the new policy Tongan will be the only language to be used in all kindergarten schools, and in primary schools from Classes 1-3. An exception will be for children whose mother tongue is not Tongan. The English language will be introduced into the schools in Class 4 as a subject.