Tonga schools

The eastern district proved to be the best in the competition after beating Tongatapu, who settled in second place.

Western district schools finished in third.

Over 350 young students from Government Primary/Middle and other church schools competed from Tongatapu, Vava'u, Ha'apai, 'Eua and Niuatoputapu.

Niuafo‘ou students competed for the first time this year.

The decision was reached on Tuesday by the Ministry of Education and directors from non-government schools.

The normal school break, which was scheduled in two weeks' time, has been brought forward from April to March.

All schools across the country will be affected.

Education Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said schools would close from 1pm Friday and remain so until 14 April.

The government would review the situation and decide later whether to resume schooling or remain closed.

ABC reports teachers in Tongan schools are still using corporal punishment despite the practice being officially banned in 2014.

Last week a teacher used so much force on an 11-year-old boy, that he had to be treated in hospital.

Ofa Guttenbeil Likiliki, the director of the Tonga Women and Children's Centre, said the case highlighted the need to create awareness about alternative methods of discipline.

"Using alternative methods is something that is sorely lacking amongst the teaching profession here in Tonga," she told the ABC's Pacific Beat program.

The Pacific Literacy and School Leadership Programme (PLSLP), is a 3-year, $6million, multi-country initiative aimed at improving literacy achievement in the early years and building capability within schools and Ministries of Educational to sustain continuous improvement in learning outcomes over the longer term.

A 30-member delegation travelled to Tonga a fortnight ago to showcase the New Zealand-Tonga business engagement and identify specific commercial and development opportunities for the delegates representing a range of industries from tourism, education, renewable energy and infrastructure development.

But there’s another side to the work done by the NZTBC that is largely unseen but is equally as valuable as their work with major companies and business.