As Tonga faces an alarming increase in secondary school drop-outs, combined with declining pass rates for the Tonga School Certificate examination, Queen Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho urged Tonga's teachers to save students from what is becoming “an epidemic” of failure.

“Tragically some of our students are afraid to dream,” the Queen said in her address to the opening of an Educational Leadership Development Symposium in Nuku‘alofa today.

She told teachers to believe in their students because it would enable them to believe in themselves and they can succeed. “Your students need you to recognise their intelligence, their good service, their attempts to be cooperative and they need you to compliment them and mean it,” she said. “Your students’ dreams begin with you the teacher who believes in them.” 

Downward trend

The Tonga Secondary Schools' Leadership Program (TSSLP), supported by Australian Aid’s Pacific Leadership Program, in its research findings showed an alarming trend that nearly 3,000 students dropped out from secondary schools between 2008-11.

Over the same period student pass rates dropped from 44 percent to 36 percent in the Tonga School Certificate Examination (Form 5).

Only one of the 31 principals in Tonga had any formal training in education leadership or administration, the research project discovered.

The findings were based on data from the Ministry of Education and Training along with TSSLP's own findings from a 12-month research project.

The symposium was held to discuss the problems facing education in Tonga, how some activities are successfully combating some of the problems and to provide an opportunity to discuss the issues. It was also an opportunity for teachers and principals to report on what further action might be taken to ensure that all of Tonga’s young people receive an education that meets their needs and enables them to be productive, contributing members of our society.

Education

Queen Nanasipau’u believed that every student in Tonga needs an education that will qualify them for steady employment to support themselves and their families.

She said to hold a stable job in today’s world our students needed a good understanding of mathematics as “it teaches more than numbers, it teaches us to observe, calculate and plan.”

"Our students need to be comfortable using and adapting to ever changing technology and they need to be able to read, write and speak in English. Do you believe that Tongan students can achieve the education they need, I do. I believe that nearly 100 percent of our Tongan children are born with the capacity to dream to strive and to reach their goals whatever they are but tragically some of our students are afraid to dream."

“... If they are frequently called dumb, a failure, a bully, a problem or a waste of time they would identify with those labels given. Teachers you have the power to give your students positive labels like smart, hardworking, determined and creative. You can become the positive influence your students depend on for now and the future,” she said.

The Queen asked why so many young people were dropping out of school before they achieved the level of education necessary for them to qualify for steady employment.

She said if teachers knew why their students were dropping out then “please do with all your power to save a student, perhaps even many students, from what is almost becoming an epidemic.

"One of the most important aspects of teaching is not teaching the facts but it is teaching your students how to learn, listen, observe and how to question. ... Teaching is not about filling a pail but it is about lighting a fire, it is about inspiring your students to love learning."

Queen Nanasipau'u believed in Tongan teachers because they are the experts in teaching, in Tongan culture and in their particular field of study.

"For many of you teaching is more than just a profession it is a life calling. It is your passion, it is your mission in life - and what a powerful mission."

The symposium organized by TSSLP was held at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre and attended by principals and teachers .

It is part of a pilot initiative since 2012 that targeted leadership development programs for principals in Tonga's government and church-run schools.