Minister for Education, Heritage & Arts, Premila Kumar received 30,000 masks and sanitisers from the Suva Retailers Association today.
This follows an agreement by the Suva Retailers Association in a meeting held between the Ministry and the Suva Retailers Association in September. The Suva Retailers Association offered to donate these items to help keep students safe in school.
Whilst speaking at the event, Minister Kumar applauded the Association for their kind gesture and thanked
them for their compassion toward Fijian students and their willingness to assist them.
The 30, 000 masks and sanitizers will be delivered to rural schools to create a safe environment for students.
“Although creating a safe school environment is challenging, the support we receive from partners such as the Suva Retailers Association gives us more confidence that our schools will be supported in implementing the COVID Safe Protocol,’’ said Minister Kumar.
She also acknowledged other NGOs and corporate partners that have come on board to support the Ministry. “It is comforting when we know that we can rely on our partners for such assistance. COVID 19 has not made things easy for any of us but then we cannot sit and wait. We just need to do what we can, so that the nation progresses.”
Yesterday Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts visited four schools in the Central division to welcome Years 12 and 13 students back to school and was pleased to see the level of preparedness by schools.
Suva Retailers Association President, Mr. Jitesh Patel said, “We are pleased to join the Ministry in their efforts to return students to school and we are optimistic that the donated masks and sanitisers will assist rural schools in making their learning environment safer for students”.
The Association thanked the Ministry for its efforts to return students to school after a long absence of six and a half months.
With more future collaborations planned for the benefit of Fiji's education, the Ministry and the Association are looking forward to maintaining an affable relationship.