Nuku'alofa, Tonga

A total of 407 students from three Tonga Government Tertiary Institutes were awarded Certificates and Diplomas on Wednesday, November 1, by HM Queen Halaevalu Mata...’aho.

The Combined Awards Ceremony of the Tonga Institute of Education, Distance Education and Community Center and the Tonga Maritime Polytechnic had to be the biggest graduation ceremony this season with parents and friends filling up every space available at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.

Additional colour to this year's Combined Awards Ceremony was that among the students who were awarded with a Diploma of Education in Primary Teaching was the Hon. Frederica Lupe'uluiva Fatafehi 'o Lapaha Tuita, the first of the royal children to graduate from a government tertiary institute.

First to be awarded with their diplomas and certificates were students from the Distance Education and Community Center. A total of 108 students were awarded with certificates in Information Technology Programme, Agriculture Programme, Tourism and Hospitality Programme, and Accounting Programme, and 78 students were awarded with diplomas in the Information Technology Programme, Agriculture Programme and Accounting Programme.

From the Tonga Maritime Polytechnical Institute 86 students were awarded Trade Certificates in General Engineering, Carpentry and Joinery, Electrical Engineering, Panel Beating and Spray Painting and General Engineering and Construction.

From the Tonga Institute of Education 39 students were awarded Diplomas of Education in Primary Teaching and 96 students were awarded Diploma of Education in Secondary Teaching.