WORDS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Welcome to the THSESWS monthly newsletter , this is the first issue to mark the start of the new millennium. As the photo above shows, let us start the year with a "BANG" and FIRE WORKS. That is, we must be very active and get ourselves into the right frame of mind as we venture into this millennium. This year is going to be an interesting one for both students and staff of Tonga High School. As posted earlier on our forum, this month's newsletter was going to be published on the second Saturday of this month. However, a few problems did occur and therefore the publication of the newsletter was postponed without informing anyone (my apologies).

Faka'apa'apa atu
Loseli M Hafoka

HEADLINE NEWS:

The THSESWS has been formally informed by Dr. Lia Maka(Latu) that due to personal reasons, she has resigned from her position as Principal of Tonga High School. This is very tragic from the school's point of view. Lia has been a great principal and the school has lost a great educator, leader and an excellent administrator. Lia is looking for greener pastures and I personally wish her as a friend; all the best in her new job. There are so many reasons that contributed to Lia's resignation and only Lia knows them. However, an insight to what has made Lia resigned is probably summed up by this quote from one of our regular dialogues:

"I think I would help the school better from outside than in there - I have revised their entire English programme for this year - I don't want them to follow the traditional Sch. Cert/F6 ones that all schools are doing. I told their staff that I want THS to take the lead - and they should continue to do so by designing their own curriculum and schemes. I have changed their internal assessment programme to a min. of 40% coursework and a max of 60% exam from F1 upward - something which the teachers were reluctant to take on board as it means more work/preparation for them."

As a colleague and a friend, I would like to present a brief "academic profile" of Lia as a tribute to such a brilliant scholar:

Lia spent her primary schooling in Ha'apai before entering Tonga High in 1974. She worked hard at secondary level and was the Tonga High School Dux in 1980. Lia was offered a scholarship by the MOE (from ADAB) and she attended the University of Macquarie in 1981.

She excelled in her course and after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with double majors in Political Science and History she went back to Tonga. She took up her first position at Tonga High School in 1984 as an English and History teacher. She was excellent in her job and everyone expected such fine qualities and standards from a brilliant scholar. After teaching for three years, Lia worked at the Curriculum Development Unit for a number of years before she gained a British Commonwealth scholarship to do her Masters in the UK, and then later on, she gained another British Commonwealth award to do her PhD, again in the UK. She got her doctorate in critical textual studies (English) in December 1996. She was posted then in 1997 as Head of the Curriculum Unit before she was assigned the job of being the Principal of Tonga High School in 1998. This was a challenge for Lia. She was quite young to take up such a position but Lia took it with both hands and did a fine job indeed.

As a friend, I do not have enough words to describe such a fine human being. Academically, she's one of the best I have known. Apart from her academic excellence, Lia is a very nice person indeed (and a warped sense of humour!). She would do anything for you. So down to earth she is, one would not know her academic status if he/she did know her. I can remember seeing Lia on the bus one day while I was teaching at Tonga College. To cut the story short, I have not seen Lia for nearly 10 years since school. She saw me first and she quickly made her way and sat next to me. We had quite a conversation and I was so pleased to see her. We had so much to catch up with. Since then, I have talked to Lia so many times but only via the internet.

Lia would have done medicine if she wanted to but her love for education saw her opting for teaching as a career. Tonga and the department were so lucky to have such an intelligent person in the teaching profession but as usual, the MOE takes its human resources for granted. Lia, we will always treasure you as a friend and more importantly; a great scholar. On behalf of the THSESWS I would like to wish you a successful career with your new job.

Faka'apa'apa atu

THSESWS & All Tonga High School Ex-students

Current Development:

The new principal for Tonga High School has not been announced but the THSESWS will inform you all on future development - knowing the MOE, anything could happen.

Seini Vivili (a former ex-student) is now the current deputy principal of Tonga High School while the former deputy; Ms Siosi'ana Musika has been promoted to the position of principal of Niuatoputapu High School.

PSSC RESULTS:

1. THS = 120 students passed
2. Vava'u High School = 54 students passed
3. Liahona = 43 students passed

The results for PSSC have appeared on the "LALO KASIA FORUM" and a reliable source has also sent the results to THSESWS and we are ecstatic to publish the results here as well. This has been a hot topic on our forum and I was starting to get sick of it. Liahona has beaten Tonga High School the previous year and with all due respect to Liahona, we were quite annoyed with all the huff and buff. I believe the results have put an end to all the arguments, bragging and arrogance potrayed by certain debators.

Well done Tonga High School and keep it that way.

WEBMASTER 

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Copyright ©:  Loseli Ma'ukie Hafoka 2000.