Photos by Linny Folau and Pesi Fonua

Rt. Hon Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand in Nuku’alofa today, while assessing the damage that Cyclone Gita had inflicted on schools last month, committed NZ$7 million to assist schools to fix their roofs.

The Prime Minister, who arrrived in Tonga last night, was warmly welcomed by students, parents and teachers at the Fasi Government Primary School this morning, as she handed over new books to students.

She also inspected damage to classrooms and talked to students studying inside tents. Over 50 percent of schools in Tongatapu had moderate or severe damages.

"We know that you need more than books, you need your roofs to be fixed," said Prime Minister Arden.

"Tents can get hot to learn in, we know you need more space in there, so one of the things that we have done today was that we talked to your Prime Minister and we will be making sure that Tonga has an extra $7 million dollars from New Zealand to make sure that your schools have roofs again and you can get back to learning." 

She told students that education is one of the most important gifts that a person can have.

“When you have access to a really good education then you can do absolutely anything you can dream of," Jacinda said.

The Prime Minister also visited and watched Tongan and New Zealand line mechanics fixing the power network damaged by the cyclone at Pili in Nuku’alofa.

Prior to touring Nuku'alofa this morning, Prime Minister Ardern met with Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva at the St George Government Building where they exchanged gifts and discussed funding to help with cyclone recovery works.

The New Zealand Prime Minister and her delegation are on a 2018 Pacific Mission, arriving in Tonga on March 6, and departing today.