MORE than 120 students of Conua District School, Nadroga, celebrated the opening of a $110,000 teacher’s accommodation facility yesterday.
The brainchild of a unique community development project pioneered by Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, the twin teachers’ quarters was built to accommodate the increasing school roll.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, resort general manager Russell Blaik said Outrigger Fiji was proud to have been associated with the school and to have played a part in developing quality education facilities at Conua.
He said the community development project established by former resort general manager Peter Hopgood was unique because guests at the resort paid $100 to spend three hours working at Conua District School. Through this unique partnership, the school has received a brand new hall, classrooms, kindergarten, library and computer lab.
“In more recent times we have undertaken a range of repair and improvement works including painting of school buildings, critical repair works, construction of a new bus shelter, covered walkways and a new perimeter fence,” said Mr Blaik.
School head teacher Asivorosi Toviri said the Conua community was grateful to Outrigger Fiji for all the developments over the past six years.
“People that used to send their children to Sigatoka Town schools are now bringing their kids back to Conua, and that is all thanks to Outrigger Fiji,” he said.
Senior education officer Nadroga-Navosa Setareki Rika said the unique partnership between the resort and the school could provide an inspiration to other communities across the country.
