The Government has relayed its commitment to transforming and developing local communities especially those in the maritime islands.

The Richmond Methodist High School in Kadavu serves as a perfect example of the recent interventions by the Government to improve agricultural programs and enhance educational experience for its students.

This initiative was highlighted by the school’s receipt of donations, including eight cattle and a tractor.

Acting assistant principal, Taniela Bolatagane said these donations represent a positive development by the Coalition Government in their second year in government, with the staff and student reaping the benefits.

“At present, the tractor is in use, and ploughing has been successfully completed on our land. Also, with the support of the Coalition Government and these donations, we expect to have milk available very soon as several of our cattle are expecting to give birth. This means we will soon have milk available for our students.”

Mr Bolatagane said the school was particularly excited about the tractor as this type of machinery was typically found only in urban areas and has proven to be a tremendous asset for the school.

He added that extracting sand and gravel from the creek has become easier with the tractor assisting in transporting these materials.

“Without the tractor, the task of moving gravel and sand to the milking shed would be quite challenging for our students, and we are very grateful to the government for this support.”

Moreover, with eight cattle expected to give birth soon, the school looks forward to producing its own milk.

Mr Bolatagane highlighted that there are currently a few cattle farming operations in Kadavu, providing the school an opportunity in this space.

“The revenue generated from these efforts will play a crucial role in repairing and maintaining school facilities, such as the bakery oven, which, while still functional, requires structural improvements to be utilized effectively.”

Mr Bolatagane added although the support from government has been helpful, the school does not wish to continue to rely solely on requests for assistance.

“If the government could support us in areas that generate revenue, we could transform this school into a much better environment than it currently is.”