From left, HE Dr Kazuchika Hamuro, Pastor Sione Kakala Moala President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and Dr Ronald Stone, School Board Chairman. Beulah Primary School, Vaini. 20 September, 2013

The construction of a new classroom building for Beulah Primary School in Vaini is underway after the Government of Japan committed a grant assistance of over $190,000 for the project, on September 20.

The Japanese Ambassador to Tonga HE Dr Kazuchika Hamuro signed the grant contract with Toni Cocker, the chairman of the Beulah Parents and Teachers Association with a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the work at the school grounds.

The project will construct four new classrooms under Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) after the PTA sought financial assistance in 2012.

HE Dr Hamuro said their aim was to provide a safer and better education environment for both students and teachers.

“Tonga has shown a significant achievement in ensuring the Universal Basic Education. The Government of Japan realizes the importance of education and its socio-economic benefits especially for a small nation like Tonga, which cannot rely on natural resources.”

He said Japan expected that the new project would also contribute to sustaining Tonga’s efforts to maintain its achievements and build on it to improve the quality of educational experiences in Tonga.

“It is my pleasure to see one of the oldest buildings in Tongatapu - this 75-year-old building tells me of the vibrant atmosthere in Tonga during that time, and its surprising and pleasing to see that these old wooden building still exists,” he said.

The Seventh Day Adventist Primary School hopes the classrooms will be completed in time for the start of the new school year in 2014.