In the December 2005 issue of Heart2Heart we carried a story on the exemplary Sai School in Fiji “Fiji Government Minister Hails the Sathya Sai School in Fiji” which informed you of the government’s support, the school’s facilities and the press interest. To read that article and see pictures of the beautiful buildings and children, click here.
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Group Meditation in the Sai School |
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A Prayer session in Progress....
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The school serves the need of the poor surrounding communities and more importantly inculcates Swami’s educare teachings. In a further development Heart2Heart can now tell you the wonderful news that in an event presided over by the Vice President of Fiji, the school opened four new classrooms. This occurred on February 8th 2006 and included a traditional welcome to the V-P, Mr. Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, from the local villagers and parents of the children.
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| Traditional welcome to Vice President |
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Chairman of Sai Organisation shows the Vice President
around the school, behind is Mr. Kanti Tappoo |
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The Fiji Times, Feb 9th 2006 |
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The Fiji Sun , Feb 9th 2006 |
The inauguration was covered by three Fijian national newspapers: The Fiji Times, The Fiji Sun and the Daily Post and television news. The Fiji Times said,
“The new classroom block will enable the school, which has a roll of 160 students, to provide children of neighbouring communities with their first nine years of formal education – from kindergarten to class 8.”
- The Fiji Times, February 9th 2006.
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| The Vice President opens the new "Sai Hema Tappoo Wing" of the Fiji Sai School |
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| The function was well attended by local villagers and parents of the children ... |
As you can see from the pictures it was a well attended function and all the school authorities and parents were happy with the excellent quality of the new classrooms called the Sai Hema Tappoo Wing.
In his address the Vice President stated that -
“The school serves the surrounding community and provides hope for a better life for all the students who enter its gates to learn…I know many here come from poor and underprivileged background.
That is nothing to be ashamed about. What is important is that one has the determination to do something about it. Working hard at one’s studies is a good place to start.”
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The Vice President delivering his speech.... |
And in a passage which seems to echo Swami’s teachings he said,
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“A school is more than bricks and mortar of its physical structure. So it is with the Sathya Sai School at Drasa. A vital part of its mission is the inculcation of moral values that helps its students to recognize right from wrong. We live increasingly in an age of relativism where many say that judgment depends on your own perspective. It is a dangerous argument because it becomes difficult to agree on what are universal values. As long as we live in society, we have duties and responsibilities to each other and to the common good. We cannot do as we please because we have to be mindful of the needs and rights of others. The values the Sathya Sai School teaches remind all of us about interdependence and what that entails.”
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The Vice President and headmaster with the children |
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In his speech, Mr Kanti Tappoo, a long time devotee and one of the founding trustees of the Sathya Sai Service Organisation of Fiji, who was instrumental in the building of the new block said,
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The Chairman of Sai Organisation, Fiji speaking... |
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Mr. Kanti Tappoo delivering his speech... |
“This is a school dedicated to building character into its students. It teaches human values alongside the Ministry of Education curriculum. It is a model school for harmony and living together. The school’s goal is to change young people’s experiences in education so that they will enter adulthood as constructive citizens. From what we see, this may be the most successful effort of this kind ever undertaken in our country.”
We can all pray that Swami continues to lavish His Grace on this wonderful school - so worthy of the name of Sathya Sai!
- Heart2Heart Team
