Tongan students

Ambassador Kensaku teaches Japanese Characters to Tongan students

Ambassador Kensaku volunteered to teach a Japanese language class at Tupou College.

He conducted a class to 25 students the basics of the three types of Japanese characters, Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.

The Japanese language was introduced at Tupou College last year.

     

Four Tongan students receive rugby league scholarships

Epafeliasi Noa, Sosefo Mailangi, Alekisio Siale and Tevita Mahungahu were noticed for their performance at the Tonga secondary school competitions.

The students were also part of the Tonga Secondary School Boys Under 16 Tour to Australia 2023, where they played games against NRL Junior Clubs.

A statement said “The scholarships will help the students to develop their athletic skills through the RL Education and Sport Development programme.”

Two Tongan students receive gold medals at the USP graduation in Fiji

Two students from the Island Kingdom received gold medals at the ceremony.

Rachel Vakasiuola received a gold medal and prize for most outstanding graduate with a major in chemistry and most outstanding graduate with a major in biology. 

Veisinia Veikoso received her gold medal and prize for most outstanding graduate with a major in geography.

A total of 22 Tongan students will be graduating. 

The graduation is the Laucala campus’s first ceremony for the year, which is being held over two-days, in four sessions.

     

USP Tongan students in Fiji grateful for support

Apitonga Secretary Sina Kami said despite the rising cases, support has been flowing in for the students.

“The students got support from our Tongan Government. At the same time, our Apitonga Community (mainly students and few workers) support each other with shopping and other food items for those that needed support.  We also have Tongans that are working in some of the regional organizations here in Suva, steps up and support some of the students and families,” Kami said.

More Tongan studies pursue further education in Fiji

The Chair of the executive committee and steward of the Apitonga, Kisione Finau said,”Students were growing in numbers and the elders decided to have their Tongan language Sunday service held not only once a month but every Sunday here in Fiji,”

Finau made the comment about the significance about the Apitonga Multipurpose Hall at an opening ceremony in Suva yesterday.  

Tongan students participate in cyber bullying awareness

A group of secondary school students took part in a ‘Stop, Block & Tell’ programme which developed one-minute videos for television and raise awareness on cyberbullying.

The programme which hopes to create a coordinated national approach against cyberbullying is an initiative by Talitha Project.

Partners are Tonga Cyber Safety Working Group under Tonga Cyber Emergency Response Team, Tonga Police, Digicel and other stakeholders. 

Students from Tonga High School, Takuilau College, St Andrews and 'Apifo'ou College each produced videos with powerful messages.

Tongan uni students appear in Fijian Magistrates Court

Among the five are Tongan students Ioane Moala and Manu Makuhoa.

Fijivillage reports the students pleaded guilty to a charge each of failure to comply with order under the Public Health Act.

They were drinking alcohol on 11 April in a flat at Laucala Bay in Suva.

The Chief Magistrate has ordered the 5 University of the South Pacific students to pay a fine of $200 each within a month and failure to pay the fine will result in the 5 in spending 20 days in prison.

Chief Magistrate Ratuvili also released each student on $500 bail.

Tongan athletes stuck in China in good spirits

The Kingdom's Ministry of Internal Affairs has confirmed that 52 athletes and officials, from swimming, table tennis, boxing and weightlifting teams, remain in China despite reports that some were to be on a New Zealand-organised flight that landed in Auckland last night.

The teams' connecting flights to Hong Kong were cancelled earlier this week because of the virus. Matangi Tonga earlier reported China's government had proposed a new connection, either to Shanghai or Beijing.

Bus crash pain: 'I lost my leg, the army won't allow me to join

The bus driver, Talakai Aholelei, 66, was yesterday sentenced to five-and-a-half months home detention and had his licence suspended for two years, after he earlier pleaded guilty to 30 careless driving charges.

He has also paid $36,000 in reparations to the victims.

The courtroom at the Waitākere District Court was packed with Aholelei's supporters, as well as some of the crash victims and their families - including some who had flown from Tonga.

Gisborne crash driver pleads not guilty to death, injury, charges

Talakai Aholelei, 65, appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday.

Kaniva News reports he was charged with three counts of careless driving causing death and 27 charges of careless driving causing injury.

Aholelei, who was represented by Nalesoni Tupou, was remanded to appear in the Waitakere District Court on July 25.

A large contingent of the Tongan community were at court today.

Aholelei was driving a bus carrying members of the Mailefihi Siu’ilikutapu College brass, which was raising money for the Tongan school’s 70th anniversary.