MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS
HON.PARVEEN KUMAR BALA

Wednesday, 24th February, 2021, 10:00AM

• The Honourable Assistant Minister Vijay Nath
• The President of the Board of Governors
• The Principal Baulevu High school
• Teachers and staff
• The School Management and PTA Members;
• Parents and Guardians
• Students,
• Ladies and Gentlemen.

Bula Vinaka and a good morning to you all.

It is indeed an honour to be here at this wonderful setting at Baulevu High school.

It is my privilege to be invited to be part of this event.

It also marks your awards ceremony which was delayed from last year due to the COVID-19.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to make a few general comments on leadership before conducting the induction ceremony. I fall back on the old saying that actions speak louder than words when it comes to leadership. Your actions determine you as a leader, you may say all the right things but one wrong act will undermine your standing as a leader. I always remind those around me, that it takes many acts of service to become a leader but it only takes one act of disservice to undo all your good work and standing in your community.

My role models in leadership are too many to name but one of their common features was their ability to put the interest of those they served before their own interest. Service before self.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in this respect I must commend the leadership example of our Honourable Prime Minister and his commitment to youths and his education. Among his priority areas, as we are all aware, that these past months the Honourable Prime Minister has spent days on ground visiting schools and communities affected by the recent extreme weather events. Everywhere the Honourable Prime Minister has gone, he has clearly put forward that education and youth development are key priorities areas for the FijiFirst Government.

As future leaders, I urge you as students of Baulevu High school to seek such mentorship and learn from the perfect examples of the great leaders of the world. Your school and the rural communities around teaching resources in front of you, you are now to look after these resources and part of your leadership roles is to ensure that these are used properly and sustain for future generations of students at this school.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to address two key stakeholders in addition to Government, the school and wider community. First of all, what I consider to be a fundamental stakeholder are parents .The FijiFirst Government has placed more emphasis on education to be bring about development and a better Fiji for all Fijians for a knowledge based society. We firmly believe that education is the key to a better Fiji that aligns well with all the changes taking place around us.

Parents are a key stakeholder as they provide the home environment .The family environment and the first level entrusted with the duty of care to its children, as such they become the founding cornerstones of the Government priority in education .We still find that some children are out of school and we need to address this together .

The Government has provided an enabling environment for free education and I urge that all parents ensure the full participation of their children and to act as part of the wider communities to ensure that all children are in school.

Teachers, your roles have never been more demanding like ever before. I must commend all of you for taking a frontline role in education during the difficult year in 2020 under COVID-19.I come from a tradition of deep respect for teachers and the teaching profession. Many of my role models were from the teaching profession.

I know that the professional demands on you are ever increasing and that you have to balance wellness and family life .I also know that for all of you , it is also satisfying as well as a challenging choice of profession. So at this juncture, I wish to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers throughout the country.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know turn your attention to the induction ceremony at Baulevu High school .As students, leaders through the assigning positions as prefects and student heads ,the responsibilities will test your resolve as leaders. From today onwards, after this ceremony, you will become student leaders of your school and will be responsible for fulfilling duties.

Dear student leaders, I ask that you display leadership by making fair and responsible decisions in carrying out your duties. A leader is always on duties, and this will become your guiding principle in setting an example for everyone within your communities and amongst your peers.

When you lead, you need to command respect and not fear nor use your badge to give orders .You must walk the talk and to be a leader you must do what you ask others to do.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m pleased to dedicate the next part of this address to the awards ceremony. Those who are being awarded today, are being recognized for your dedication and commitment to excellence. Your achievements shine a bright light on your institution, your families and the wider communities that makes up Baulevu High school.

It is important that whenever we are recognized with an award that we accept it with dignity and use it and use it as a means as improving yourself and those around you. To the award recipients, many congratulations and may you continue with the good work that you all have been doing.

Baulevu High school today, in combining these two events, are fulfilling their expectations of education as a priority area. I must commend the school management staff and the wider community of Baulevu for continuing to make this school shine and grow.

I congratulate all the student prefects for their selection today and I wish all stakeholders, teachers, parents and students the best for the 2021 academic year.

Vinaka Vakalevu!

 

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