Editor,

Such unwise emotional consideration by leaders to close two legacy high schools in Tonga, (Boys boarding schools may have to close ... July 24, 2013), needs "cool heads" and "calm hearts". 

1. With all due respects, Rev. Dr. Tevita Havea's leadership role in restoring trust and respect for Tupou College, and Tonga College for that matter, should not include punishing the majority of good students, and their parents. 

The schools do, however, need objective evaluation. 

• Why have not the school administrations solve this problem after all these years?
• Did they bury their heads in the sand and hope the problem would go away?
• Do the schools' leadership teams at both institutions deserve to continue in their jobs?
• A "cleaning-house" firing of all administrators may seem to be in order?
• Why have they not conducted a scientific study to help solve the problem?
• Relying on religious and cultural approaches have not worked all these years.

2. Closing Tonga's two prominent high schools will have bad social repercussions. The shock waves from the wake of such irresponsible actions will draw negatively on the youth population of Tonga.

• Consider the consequences and undue pressure being forced on an unprepared society.
• Does the majority of good student bodies, and their parents, deserve the unexpected inconvenience? 
• What responsibilities do the schools have to provide education for society, which was granted by government?
• Will the government consider such closures a dis-service to society?
• What "opportunity costs" will bear upon the economy, education, morality, and cultural health of the country? 

3.  Agitators who are calling for the closure of these schools are reacting emotionally rather than using rational and wise decisions. 

• These are irresponsible "gatekeepers" who think they have all the answers.
• Their solutions to every problem is to mete out punishment to accused parties.
• They approach every problem emotionally, and without investigations, or research.
• Their reasons for lashing out at the entire school, rather than the administrators, are not based on facts.

'Ofa atu,

Sione Ake-mei-hakau Mokofisi

samokofisi [at] email [dot] phoenix [dot] edu