By Linny Folau

Transforming education to make it more inclusive and accessible for all youths, was at the forefront of a National Youth Dialogue held in Nuku'alofa, today 14 August.

Tongatapu youth and related stakeholders, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ministry of Health, parliamentarians, NGOs and civil societies, attended the one-day session.

Presentations were made on Tonga's National Youth Policy and Strategy, the State of Pacific Youth Report, Adolescent Health, Family Life Education, Youth Policy on Is Your Voice Heard and Sexual Reproductive Health.

Lord Tu’ivakano, Chairman of a Standing Committee on Population and Development at the Legislative Assembly, in an opening address said that efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all youth, involved effort by youth themselves. 

According to the 2016 Census Tonga is a youthful country with the median age 22 years and more that one third of the population under 15-years.

Lifelong opportunities

He said, rooted in Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, is to ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong opportunities for all.

“International Youth Day 2019 beckons us to examine how Government of Tonga, young people and youth-led and focused organizations and other stakeholders are transforming education so it becomes a powerful tool to achieve in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"Our children, adolescent and youth are the SDG generation. How can we ensure they receive quality education so that they not only fulfill their potential but are given opportunities to lead and drive the vision of Tonga's Strategic Development Framework (TSDFII) and SDGs."

After the youth dialogue, a broader National Consultation will focus on Universal Health Coverage and International Conference on Population and Development 25 will be held on August 15-16.

UNFPA

Lorna Rolls, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Pacifc Sub Regional Office, said they have a chance to listen well to the voice of young people to place their needs, aspirations and ideals at the core of their work.

She said this supports the vision of the TSDFII, achievement of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

“In the spirit of the 2019 theme for International Youth Day, Transforming Education, they hold themselves accountable to work collectively to ensure that adolescents and youth flourish on the road to adulthood and are ale to maintain their well-being through their lives.

"At UNFPA, we are working together with governments, civil society and development partners and above all, young people to ensure they have the knowledge and the power to make informed choices to participate as active citizens."

She said, the outcomes of the youth dialogue and the national consultation will shape the national commitments to address unfinished business of ICPD in Tonga, which the Tongan government can pledge at the Nairobi Summit in November this year.