STUDENTS of Daku District School who travel to and from school by boat will now do so in safety.
This after they received life jackets from a private donor last week.
The 40 life jackets, given by Rosie Hearts cake shop, will benefit students who come from Anitioki and Kalili, more than three kilometres from the mainland off the Tailevu coast.
School manager Mataiasi Davuirogo said there was a major need for life jackets to equip the 38 students — from classes one to eight — while travelling by boat to school.
"Our priority is the safety of the children and we are happy with the assistance of Rosie Hearts for donating that to us," Mr Davuirogo said.
"We have always asked the boat operator to always carry the maximum number of children it is required to take at any one time and not overload the boat," he said.
Mr Davuirogo said children who had studied at the village school in the 1960s also travelled by boat. Then, he said, they paddled themselves.
With assistance from the government, they now have a fibreglass boat and an outboard engine.
School headteacher Tove Drodrolagi said the life jackets would remain the property of the school and would be used by students who travelled from the neighbouring villages.
Rosie Hearts manager Alvin Nair said they were concerned about the welfare and safety of the students and decided to help them.