A five-year initiative aimed at strengthening climate resilience within Tonga's education system was launched by the Government and Save the Children Tonga in an official partnership agreement signing on 20 August in Nuku'alofa.
The project, Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE) is a one-of-a-kind program being implemented in the Pacific, which will focus on improving the safety and sustainability of school facilities, strengthening school safety, and educational continuity systems, and embedding risk reduction and climate resilience education into Tonga’s national curriculum.
The agreement was signed by the Hon. Prime Minister Dr ‘Aisake Eke, Hon. Minister of Education and Training, Dr ‘Uhilamoelangi Fasi, and Save the Children’s Pacific Regional Director, Kim Koch.
“This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring children in Tonga can continue learning in safe environments, even as the climate around them changes. We’re proud to support efforts that place education at the heart of community resilience," said Kim Koch.
Pacific Island nations like Tonga are among the most vulnerable to climate change.
Rising sea levels, increasingly severe tropical cyclones, and coastal erosion pose serious threats to infrastructure, livelihoods, and the wellbeing of children. Schools are often disrupted or damaged during disasters, interrupting education and placing children at risk.
BRACE aims to address these challenges by making schools greener, safer, more resilient, and better equipped to continue delivering education in times of crisis.
The BRACE project, funded through the Green Climate Fund and the Global Partnership for Education, will be co-led by Save the Children Tonga and the Ministry of Education and Training, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC).
