By Eleanor Gee

A new classroom building for Tonga Police College was opened today, 28 May,  as part of a multi-million pa'anga  recovery program for schools damaged by Tropical Cyclone Gita in 2018.

The cyclone-resilient building was constructed with $435,445 pa'anga under the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP) co-funded by the World Bank and the Australian Government, and led by MEIDECC.

The building has three classrooms, which are partitioned by won-doors, allowing it to form one big hall.

Australian High Commissioner HE Adrian Morrison said the new building makes a fine addition to the Tonga Police College, which was opened by the King last month.

“They are also the last of the classrooms rebuilt or refurbished under the World Banks Pacific Resilience Program and Australia is very proud to have supported that program.”

Mr Morrison said the program delivered much more resilient buildings capable of not only serving as classrooms but as emergency centers for local communities.

"And the design of these classrooms incorporates disability inclusiveness and gender equality.”

Many schools

In total, the project delivered 127 new or repaired classrooms at 24 schools as well as the Police College. This includes 16 government schools and eight schools run by churches. The project also delivered new toilets and plumbing to over 20 schools.

“These new or repaired classrooms will make a significant contribution to improving the education experience of Tongan children and Police Officers and improving their educational outcomes.”

Acting Commissioner of Police, Lord Fielakepa thanked all involved for the gift of the classrooms for the development of police men and women in Tonga.

“This aligns with the endorsed reform by Lord Nuku in the last two weeks, that the Tonga Police College will become independent and under a Deputy Police Commissioner, dedicated to recruit and train policewomen and policemen.”

The building was designed and supervised by Cardno, an Australian Company, while the construction was done by a Tongan construction company, ‘Ofa Construction.