By Linny Folau

A new classroom building for ‘Apifo’ou College at Ma’ufanga was commissioned on December 1 in phase two of a reconstruction program under the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP).

Bishop Soane Patita Paini Cardinal Mafi commissioned the new classrooms with Australian High Commissioner HE Mr Adrian Morrison.

The construction under PREP is co-funded by the World Bank and the Australian Government led by MEIDECC.

The building, which costs around $1.7 million pa'anga, includes four classrooms with partitions that can be drawn to form one big hall.

Two buildings were also repaired with a storeroom each.

World Bank Representative, Natalia Latu said this is another very important milestone. The World Bank is supporting government to strengthen Tonga’s resilience against natural disasters and climate change, including the programs under PREP.

“Following the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Gita in 2018 we are pleased to support government promote quality education through safe, secure, clean and functional learning spaces,” she said.

"Given our country's high vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change, investing in resilient designs and buildings is critical and as such we are pleased to see superior disaster resilience designs to earthquakes, cyclones and flooding through raised floor level in these classrooms."

She said, by the end of this year more than 9000 students would have benefited from the World Bank and the Australian aid funded works at 25 schools, with 44 school buildings and 112 classrooms.

Meanwhile, the first phase of of the 'Apifo'ou reconstruction program was commissioned in July and included three new classrooms.

The secondary school is operated by the Catholic Diocese of Tonga.

By repairing and reconstructing of school buildings damaged by Tropical Cyclone Gita, there are 25 schools under PREP in total costing around $28 million pa'anga.