Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka at the Centennial Celebrations for the establishment of Ratu Kadavulevu School (Provincial School Eastern)

•    Chairman & Members of the Board of Governors
•    Na Vanua Vakaturaga o Nawainovo, na Turaga na Tui Wainovo,
•    Dawasamu na Turaga na Ratu e Dawasamu,
•    Na veidelaniyavu vakaturaga ni tiko rawa ena siga nikua, au cavubaleta,
•    Ni tiko na Talai ni Kalou, na ivakalesilesi ni Bose ko Viti,
•    Honorable Ministers & Honorable MPs, 
•    Distinguished Guests and
•    Ladies & Gentlemen, ni tiko na gone
 
OPENING REMARKS  
1.0    Ni sa bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.

1.1    Please allow me to bid a special Bula Vinaka to the alumni, former teachers and supporters watching today’s celebrations by livestream.

1.2    Ni Bula Vinaka!

1.3    Au marau vakalevu ni’u bau sureti me’u mai vakaitavi e na soqo Lagilagi ka marautaki oqo, e na noda mai marautaka vata kei kemuni kece sara dau lomana se nanuma tu na Koronivuli qo, o Ratu Kadavulevu School ka a yacana taumada na “Provincial School Eastern” ni sa mai yacova tu oqo e 100 na yabaki mai na gauna ka a tauyavu kina e na 1924.

1.4    It is my privilege to join you this morning on this joyous occasion to celebrate the first 100 years of what was originally the “Provincial School Eastern,” now known proudly as “Ratu Kadavulevu School.”


2.0    IDEA TO ESTABLISH A SCHOOL 

2.1    The vision for what we now know as Ratu Kadavulevu School began in 1902 with the foresight of the later former Turaga Bale na Vunivalu, Ratu Penaia Kadavulevu.

2.2    During his tenure as Roko Tui Tailevu, the late Ratu Kadavuevu recognized the need for both educational and administrative advancements.

2.3    To this end, Ratu Kadavulevu championed the idea of the school and set about to establish a central administrative village, or "Koro ni Yasana," in the northern part of Tailevu to serve the region more effectively. 


2.4    His close ties with an Englishman from London inspired him to name the area "Lodoni," the Fijian translation of London, marking the place where Ratu Kadavulevu School now proudly stands.

2.5    At a meeting of the Tailevu Provincial Council in 1908, the members of the Council resolved unanimously to establish a provincial school, following the example set by other provinces. 


2.6    When the Council met again in 1909 at the Provincial ‘seat’ in Lodoni, Ratu Penaia Kadavulevu passionately advocated for Lodoni to be the site of this new institution. 

2.7    The construction of Provincial School Eastern faced delays, with work beginning in 1922, the school was finally completed and opened its doors in 1924. 
2.8    This 13 years journey demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Tailevu's leadership to invest in the future through education.

2.9    Before his retirement as Roko Tui Tailevu in 1912, Ratu Penaia Kadavulevu took visionary steps to ensure the success of the new school. 

2.10    He secured agreements with the provinces of Lomaiviti and Ra for the school to also serve the educational needs of boys from these regions. 

2.11    This collaboration not only strengthened ties between the provinces but also broadened the school's impact. 
2.12    It would be known as the Provincial School Eastern, a beacon of opportunity and unity, designed to elevate the future of young men across a number of provinces.

2.13    Ratu Penaia Kadavulevu was the son of Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, a grandson of Ratu Seru Cakobau, the Vunivalu of Bau, who inspired other Chiefs to Cede The Fiji Islands to Queen Victoria of Great Britain on 10 October 1874. 

2.14    Ratu Penaia Kadavulevu later succeeded his father, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau as the Vunivalu of Bau. 

3.0    TRANSITION FROM PROVINCIAL SCHOOL EASTERN TO RATU KADAVULEVU SCHOOL

3.1    During World War II, many provincial schools were consolidated as part of the war-effort, to facilitate the use of school premises to aid in the war efforts in the Pacific. 

3.2    Students from Namaka were transferred to Lodoni (Provincial School Eastern) to accommodate the expansion of the airport for American aircraft. 

3.3    Students from Nadroga were relocated to Sawani (Provincial School Southern).

3.4    Queen Victoria School, originally based in Nasinu, was moved to Nanukuloa in Ra to make room for a military hospital.

3.5    In 1947, after 23 years, the Provincial School Eastern was renamed Ratu Kadavulevu Intermediate School in honor of Ratu Penaia Kadavulevu. 

3.6    Students from the Provincial School Southern in Sawani were also transferred to Ratu Kadavulevu Intermediate School.

4.0    QVS and RKS

4.1    In 1949, Queen Victoria School was relocated from Nanukuloa in Ra to Ratu Kadavulevu School while waiting for the completion of their new site at Matavatucou. 

4.2    RKS and QVS shared facilities in Lodoni for two years, from 1949 to 1950. 

4.3    As a result, half of the students from RKS who were enrolled in 1948 were told not to return in 1949 to accommodate the incoming QVS students. 

4.4    Queen Victoria School expresses gratitude to those Ratu Kadavulevu School students whose education at RKS was disrupted to facilitate that transition.

5.0    Contribution to Nation-Building
5.1    In the field of education, Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) has made significant contributions by producing graduates who have excelled in various professions, including academics, engineering, medicine, law, agriculture, and other specialized fields.

5.2    To name a few, the late Tui Kobuca and former Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, the current Leader of Opposition.

5.3    Distinguished RKS alumni include many distinguished graduates who assisted in the transition from colonial government to independence.

5.4    Many of them took the helm of government agencies in the newly independent state with our first Prime Minister, the late Turaga Bale na Tui Nayau, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara as well as successive governments including the SVT Coalition, SDL Coalition and this proud legacy continues today. 
5.5    RKS graduates have played a vital role in the development and progress of our nation, applying their knowledge and skills to address our country’s needs and challenges. 

5.6    The school's commitment to fostering academic excellence has resulted in a legacy of professionals who have contributed to the nation’s growth and development.
 
6.0    Success on the sports field

6.1    Ratu Kadavulevu School is well known in Fiji for its achievements in sports both in Athletics and Rugby. 

6.2    RKS is still the only school to have held the Deans Trophy for 6 years in a row. 

6.3    It is also the only school to have won all grades in secondary school rugby.

6.4    RKS is the only school from the Pacific to have won the Sanix Rugby Tournament held in Japan which is competed by U17 grades from secondary school in the Southern Hemisphere.

7.0    Conclusion

7.1    As you commemorate the significant milestone of 100 years of your school's existence, please allow me to extend my sincere best wishes to the alumni and old scholars of Ratu Kadavulevu School.
7.2    I also congratulate former staff and teachers, as well as your families who are gathered here today.

7.3    I also extend a special Vinaka vakalevu to those watching via livestream, testament to your ongoing support to the school that shaped and moulded your character from an early age.

7.4    Today’s celebration not only highlights the school's rich history, it also allows us to acknowledge the profound impact it has had on individuals, communities and the nation as a whole.
7.5    I want to conclude with a plea to us all; I ask that we all, the Lodoni/RKS Community, the Matavatucou/QVS Community, the Northland Tailevu Communities and Regions, join the Government in fighting against the spread and use of Narcotic Drugs.
7.6    On Saturday night I said; “I hope that when the City Cleaners come and clean up the venue we are on tonight and the other venues around this Suva Foreshore, that they will not find any evidence of the use of drugs.” As I went to Communion Service at Butt Street Wesley Church, I asked my Staff to check again with the City Cleaners – and sure enough, they sent me a picture of a pile of rubbish that included a syringe used for intravenous injection of substances! To fight the use of Drugs, we have to start with parents, and then the schools, the Religious Organisations, and communities and just by capitalizing on the ‘Esprit de Corps’ in all our organisations, fight it by our own personal efforts and examples!
7.7    The Lodoni/RKS Community can do it.
7.8    It is my earnest hope that Ratu Kadavulevu School will continue to be a beacon of hope, knowledge, character and sporting prowess, producing outstanding and exemplary citizens who will contribute meaningfully to our beloved nation in the years to come. 
7.9    Let us all honor the legacy of this esteemed institution and work together toward a brighter future.

7.10    I wish you well with all your centennial celebration events this week.

May God Bless Ratu Kadavulevu School

May God Bless you All