Looking back through the history of Tonga High School, the years that are poignant in our memories are the years between 1980 - 1989, the years when we walked the hallowed corridors of the School. Most of us entered the School in 1980-82 and finished in 1987. However there are also those of us who joined us as we progressed up in the School. Some of us loved the School so much that they delayed their departure until as late as 1989. Whatever year in the 1980s you entered and whatever year you finished, this page belongs to us all.

During our time at Tonga High School, we witnessed history being made at the school (although in our young minds we did not register them as such). 1982 was the year in which Tonga High School abolished Class 7 as the entry level and the new intake of 1982 went straight to Form 1. In 1985, the Government of Tonga established Vava'u High School and thus some of our classmates from Vava'u transferred to Vava'u High School. That was the year when we were in Form 4. 1985 was also the year in which the French language was first introduced as part of the curriculum of the School. We, the Form 4 students were chosen to be the first students of French in the School. It was also in 1985 that the Tonga School Certificate was sat for the final time. As in past practice, we Form 4 students only sat for the Tongan Language in this Exam and we all passed. 1986 saw the Tonga High School boys uniform change. Previously, the Boys uniform were a short sleeved grey shirt and grey shorts. The change in 1986 saw the shorts being done away with in favour of a grey tupenu. This year also saw us Form 5 students sit the last New Zealand School Certificate Exams to be held in Tonga. In the same year, 1986, the Siu'a'alo races were introduced as an extracurricular activity to the school. This was very popular with the Seniors (which we now were) who were all too anxious to show off their muscles. The popularity of Siu'a'alo spilled on to 1987 when Tonga High School sent its premier team of rowers off to Vava'u to compete. However, the prowess and skills of our champions were not to be displayed; instead they were left to bob around in the Port of Refuge harbour taking in the beautiful sight all day.

The year 1987 of course was our final year, Form 6. It was also the year in which Tonga High School celebrated its 40th Anniversary. There were festivities on the School Day of which the highlight was the planting of a heilala tree to mark the occasion by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto'a. The Crown Prince graciously bestowed the name Heilala ko Tupouto'a on the tree, which was planted at the front of the school and which the (replacement) tree still stands to this day.

A lot has changed in Tonga High School and its surroundings since we started there, twenty years ago. In those days, the ruins of the original Queen Salote Memorial building (the site of the new Memorial Hall today) still provided hiding places for late-comers evading eagle-eyed Prefects on duty. Some of our class-rooms (Form 1A & Form 1L) were in the GPS Nuku'alofa Primary School buildings. Tonga Side School campus is much bigger now too. And of course today, the original school buildings have been razed after the fire in 2000. But like the proverbial phoenix, new buildings shall rise from the ashes of the old ones and we hope that that will be a symbol for a renewal of the school spirit both in the current school's population as well as in us ex-students of Tonga High School.

Twenty-years ago, we all assembled as bright-eyed students feeling privileged and proud to be entering the school of our dreams. Friendships were forged over those years and those have weathered a lot over the last two decades. We are still together and having been educated in Tonga High School is the strongest tie that binds us together not only for our own classmates but for all Ex-Students of the school. Even though we are scattered around the world we would like to think (with apologies to Rupert Brooke·) somewhere in the corners of your hearts, whatever country you are in; you will have buried Tonga High School and what it has imbued in you, there. We hope that perusing this page will bring back happy memories of Tonga High School. We hope too that these will also awaken in us the spirit of Ki He Lelei Taha (To The Best), a timeless motto for all generations of ex-students.

We send you all Greetings and Best Wishes for this Holiday Season and may God's Blessings be upon you and your families.