Sainimili Magimagi 
That is the message from Lomaiviti Provincial Council Chair Samuela Vadei. [Photo: FILE]
Education must be treated as a family investment, not just a government or school responsibility.
That is the message from Lomaiviti Provincial Council Chair Samuela Vadei, who says the province will continue to prioritize education in its development plans.
Vadei urges families to shift their mindset and view education like farming – as an investment requiring time, resources, and commitment before results can be harvested.
“One day it will grow and bear fruit, and the fruit comes back to the family, to the village. So it’s important.”
He notes that too much blame is placed on teachers and the government, even though learning begins long before a child enters the classroom.
Parents remain a child’s first teachers and must lead the way at home.
Lomaiviti has long proven that academic success is possible with limited resources.
Vadei recalled when local schools were built from coconut leaves and students sat on branches, yet still produced some of Fiji’s brightest minds, including the country’s first PhD graduate.
While infrastructure has improved over the years, he stresses that better buildings do not guarantee better outcomes.
Instead, determination, discipline, and support from home remain the strongest drivers of success.
