The Minister for Education, Heritage & Arts Premila Kumar officiated at the virtual Diwali celebration for Lautoka School for Special Education and commended the school’s initiative to get students, teachers, parents/ guardians and well-wishers together virtually while schools are still closed.
“Today’s virtual celebration clearly indicates that nothing is impossible if we have the will to do so. COVID-19 has taught us to adopt modern ways of connecting with people to celebrate events and festivals,” said the Minister.
She stated that the recent pandemic has no doubt imposed many different types of challenges to our daily lives but then we have to find ways to survive and move forward.
Minister Kumar said “The virtual celebration is even more appropriate with the theme ‘Recovering with Celebration for a Sustainable Future’, which also gives me clear indication that students in this school can expect positive direction from their teachers and management and that is what we as a Ministry wish to see happening.”
“Diwali is not just a time for celebration but also a time to remember the less fortunate and to bring light into their lives. This year's Diwali will be different as there are many homes that will not celebrate – some have lost their dear ones, and many have gone through the adverse impacts of COVID -19 pandemic. This is the time we include them in our happiness, our prayers and share whatever we have.”
The Minister thanked all those organisations and individuals who have been playing their part in creating a caring society.
Whilst delivering her keynote address, the Minister also informed the participating students, teachers, management reps, parents/ guardians and well-wishers that Fiji is beginning to see better days ahead because of the achievement of vaccination targets.
“We are easing our internal movement as we prepare to open our international borders in the near future. It will help us rebuild our trade and tourism, and slowly those who lost their jobs due to the border closure will be able to find jobs again,” Minister Kumar said.
“The Ministry has a curriculum and continues to amend it to promote the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, social, emotional, aesthetic and physical development of students, who are the future of our nation, in their commitment to cultural, multi-ethnic, multicultural and religious understanding and tolerance.”
In addition to wishing everyone a Happy Diwali, the Education Minister urged students to be safe and to take care of themselves during this year's celebration.