RKSOB '80s

The students of Ratu Kadavulevu School in Lodoni, have been given a new lease of hope. Not only hope academically but also in their personal lives.

Led by the chief executive officer of the Housing Authority, Alipate Naiorosui, a group of professional young Fijians who attended the school and graduated back in the late 70s and 80s decided to give something back to the school.

"Basically the programme started off when a group of young professional old boys which included Housing Auithority Chief Executive, Alipate Naiorosui, Director Marketing of Fiji Visitors Bureau Jo Tuamoto, Netani Rika of Fiji TV, Pauliasi Koroi and Ifereimi Dau of the Mineral Resources Department, Nacani Dreu from Customs and Fiji Island Revenue Department and a couple of others met at Naiorosui's home.

"This group has something in common. They are concerned with the poor academic and sports performance of the school.

After brain storming they decided to make changes even though finance was not ready at hand.

"We knew we had something we could contribute and that was our minds and our experiences. We felt we could not sit silently on the side because most of the time at the beginning of each year when external exam results were known RKS and Queen Victoria School would hit the headlines," Naiorosui said.

The group started off by calling themselves RKS Old Boys 80s.

Most of the former students are now holding senior or supervisory positions -- not only in government but also the private sector including the current Minister of Sports, Isireli Leweniqila.

The group's database has grown -- not only locally but also abroad.

"We had a vision, which was to achieve academic excellence and supremacy in sports for RKS which would bring back passion and pride in the school," Mr Naiorosui said.

To achieve the academical vision, the old boys came up with the idea of approaching the school principal to conduct motivational talks for the students.

The second phase of their plan is the mentoring programme, the third is to establish a school website that is currently being carried out and hopefully will bring former students, who are scattered around the world.

Another plan is to source old school exam papers for external exams.

The group also identified its ability to offer job attachments for senior school students because of the positions they held in their professional lives.

The RKSOB80s put their plan into action on May 16 and 17. There were 7 former scholars in the group. During the two days, the group addressed the 840 students on the current roll at RKS.

Another trip was made last month with ten old scholars making the trip down to Lodoni.

"We started with vision so students could begin early in building up their subject combination."

During its second trip, the group emphasised excellence.

To help them deliver this topic to young boys, the group used personal experiences and also the experiences of professionals who had not attended RKS. They wanted to express the need for not only achieving personal vision but also excellence.

They have a great task on their hands since most of the young lads have the "pass" syndrome passed down through the ages firmly etched into the minds. The boys would be just happy with a pass in their external exams, just like many young Fijians before them.

The group wants to change all that. It is constantly drumming into the students that achieving their vision with excellence would be more satisfying than an ordinary pass.

Feedback from the school has been encouraging, not only from the school and the group, but all stakeholders involved.

Principal Mosese Halofaki has indicated that since the first visit, assessment results have been encouraging. Known for his disciplinary but fair action, Mr Halofaki has been trying to instill the very same sense of pride in his students during his term at RKS.

Some of his decisions have not sat well with parents, the original old boys association and workers. He has remained steadfast in his decisions and the very same people that were criticising his moves two years ago are now praising what he has done for the school during his short term. Now he has the help of the RKSOB80's.

The next trip for the group will be next month. It intends to focus its talks on how to become a success in life, how to build up your career and how to realise your potential.

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Even though there is an old scholars body, the young professionals of RKS feel they have to give something back to the school that raised them for most of their teenage lives.

"A common belief held by members of this group is that as young professional Fijians, we have a social responsibility to put something back into society, whether it is in school, your village, community whatever. This in one way can accelerate Fijian development in all aspects, whether in education, community development and so forth. We have nothing to lose," Mr Naiorosui said.

Another aspect of the programme is mentoring. The group has decided that one former scholar will look after five to ten senior students. The students will not be assigned in career categories because the main issues that will be discussed will be life issues. These include morals, discipline and respect.

Since their move to better results at RKS, the old boys group has made presentations to the bigger old boy organisation and also at the Ministry of Education last week. The chairman of the Board of Governors of RKS, Ratu Tui Cavuilati has invited Mr Naiorosui and Mr Tuamoto to be co-opted members of the board. The pair are now part of the academic sub-committee.

Mr Naiorosui said parents and the Government had invested much into the students. They wanted returns in the way of passes and higher marks since the boys will have to compete with other students from around Fiji for scholarships and jobs.

Mr Naiorosui said the group was not qualified to assess the downfall of RKS. But it was able to motivate students to have pride in themselves and the schools.

It gives credit where it is due and acknowledges the role of the teachers at the school who are surrogate parents looking after more than 800 students 24 hours a day.

"I feel sorry for the teachers because they play a dual role. They joined on primarily as teachers -- in the classroom. But they have to spend a lot of time after hours looking after our children. They become the students' fathers and mothers. It is quite difficult. That is why boarding school management is far more difficult when compared to normal day schools," Mr Naiorosui said.

"The teachers are placed with an enormous responsibility. Twenty-four hours a day and the parents expect the teachers to look after their children. With the resources available, how can 30 or 40 teachers basically look after more than 800 students," Mr Naiorosui said.

The group does not want to be classed along with many other Fijian projects that have fallen on the wayside after a successful start.

"We have a plan which is both a short-term one and long term," Mr Naiorosui said.

"We started this year because we wanted to make a difference as soon as possible. The good side was that just last Friday in a meeting, the school and the academic committee of the board, which we are part of, has been tasked to work with the Ministry of Education to produce a strategic plan for the school.

"We gathered in our meeting on Friday that there had been talks in the past but nothing had eventuated. But now, we can see a lot of things are coming alive. Not only by us two, myself and Tuamoto, but our members, people like Netani (Rika) who are willing to come and sit and work with the ministry.

"We know the ministry is burdened with problems at other schools in Fiji so we offer our services in our own free time for the school."

Ultimately the old scholars have come up with a plan that could become a model for other organisations that are facing the dilemma of Fijian education.

The professionals are not only offering their services to the students but also to their parents who may not have the advantages of knowing the consequences of their child's aspirations.

They feel that the teachers should be allowed to do just that - teach our children to gain the best academicals achievements they can attain.

They are offering their services to mould the students into responsible, moral and visionary men who will have a say in the running of the country tomorrow.