A five-day Sub-Regional Training Workshop for journalists and education officials began in Nuku'alofa on Monday, March 22.

The workshop is an initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and it brought to Tonga participants from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, and Papua New Guinea.

Mr Mikko Cantell an Associate Expert on Education for Sustainable Development from UNESCO's Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau in Bangkok, said the workshop is aimed at getting education issues visible in the news, and to provide the media with deeper understanding of education issues and goals.

"Media have a very important role and through its coverage of education issues it would support the achievement of UNESCO's education programs such as the Millennium Development Goals, Education for Sustainable Development and Education for All," said Mikko. "Education is not only a basic human right but an important aspect of development in any country. So it is important that education officials know how to respond to questions probed by journalists at the same time increase the knowledge of journalists on education issues."

The Tongan participants at the workshop are Monalisa Palu from the Media Council of Tonga, 'Ema Vea from the Tonga Broadcasting Commission and Siaosi Lavaka from the 88.1 FM.