For students of Buruwa Primary School, Nasesevia Secondary School and Buruwa kindergarten swimming or crossing the river by foot to get to school will now be a thing of the past.
This follows the commissioning of the newly constructed 15-meter foot-crossing bridge in Buruwa Primary school in Nawaicoba Nadi today by the Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy.
The Buruwa foot crossing is the fourteenth Hop-Skip & Jump project to be completed and this directly benefits more than sixty households, 300 villagers and 200 students.
Minister Reddy while commissioning the foot-crossing reiterated the Fijian Government's commitment towards providing better and quality education for all Fijians.
Minister Reddy said the crossing linked the communities and the schools, providing improved accessibility for better education and safeguarding the wellbeing of the Kindergarten, primary and secondary school students, as well as for the neighboring villages.
"The underlying objective is to provide equal opportunities to all Fijians to ensure rural and maritime communities are part of the growth and development process.
“This foot-crossing bridge will not only provide easy access for the villagers to cross the creek but will also allow safer crossings for school children, women and elders of the village during the day and night with the installation of solar lights,” he said.
Dr. Reddy also called on villagers to safeguard their environment, to properly dispose of rubbish especially in the waterways and mangroves, which also contributed to flooding during a heavy downpour.
Nasesevia Secondary School acting principal Mr. Mesulame Uluimoala acknowledged the Government’s commitment towards the development of rural communities and providing quality education for the students.
Mr. Ulimoala said that this infrastructural development for the Buruwa school would not only provide a safer crossing for the villagers but also vastly benefit students as they traveled daily to school.
“Prior to this, there was no proper crossings and the school children used to cross the flooded river every day to get to the school and to the villages.
"During rainy weather, the rivers get flooded and isn't safe to cross, especially for the school children and for villagers as well. People used to travel by road which takes about one hour to get to the school.
The foot crossing bridge also consists of solar lights for safer crossing during the night.