Furniture for Schools - Havelu GPS

When New Zealand schools get new school furniture, the old is sent to the Pacific Islands for distribution to schools. In Tonga, the government builds the schools, but does not maintain them. They pay the teachers, but do not supply desks, chairs, chalkboards, whiteboards, books, etc. These items are all through donation, mostly from foreign countries.



This week, Havelu GPS (government primary school) received desks and chairs. These students were excited to have real desks and chairs. The older boys unloaded the items and put them in the classrooms.

Children wear uniforms to school. Each school has its own colors.

These girls were all smiles, and practiced their English on us palangis (white people).







These younger boys were still at their "desks" and benches. They also were more than happy to have their pictures taken.


Note their bare feet. Many children do not wear shoes at all, school being no exception.

They wear uniforms every day but Friday, which is laundry day so they can have clean uniform come Monday.


When we pulled up with the truck and drove around to the back of the school where the classrooms receiving the desks and chairs were located, we could hear yelling and hollering. The air was abuzz with the students' excitement.