From Fiji Times Online (6 May 2012)

Rotuma high back on track

by Solomoni Biumaiono

AFTER 11 long years, Rotuma High School participated again at the Coca-Cola Games. This was the furthest travelling team that participated at this year's Coke Games but for them, participation alone goes further than the motivation that many students and teachers of schools in Fiji have, when preparing for the Coke Games.

To the teachers of Rotuma High, the Games is about giving their students a complete education. An education that encompass all facets of student life, from within the classroom right down to their social life.

Rotuma High teacher Viliame Katonivualiku says the school wants the students to experience the student life all other students in Fiji do experience and that included participating or to be part of the Coke Games.

"What the teachers want is to get the students to experience a wholesome student life and to get a holistic education. To experience what other students are experiencing for if we don't bring them to these sort of things, they will become socially deficient," he told Kaila!

Katonivualiku says the age group between 15 to 19 years is very important as this is where most students develop their personalities and it's important that develop into well rounded and balanced people.

"We're providing an incentive for them to come over and to compete with other students in Fiji and match themselves and to see where they're and also with the hope they will become more motivated to become better students and even come over to Fiji to complete their studies here," Katonivualiku says.

For the students of Rotuma High, the trip was worth it as they won the girls division with six gold and a silver medal while the boys came in second with five gold, two silver and a bronze medal during the Maritime Zone in at the National Stadium last week.

The island school scooped a 11 gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the zone meet to take home the Maritime athletics crown.

Katonivualiku, however, states that one important aspect the students and teachers alike have to overcome is transportation and the distance from good training facilities and technical expertise.

"We're lucky because the games fall at the end of the school term, so that gives us ample time to look for our way back to the island before the school resumes for the second term," Katonivualiku says.