Teacher finds a home in Cicia High School

Submitted by Narayan24 on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 07:24

Growing up as a youngster, Seini Tuimabula never dreamt that one day she would be teaching far away from the capital city, a place where she initially wanted to begin her career as a teacher.

This young woman teaches on the island of Cicia in Lau, which is the centre of magimagi production in Fiji and plays host to four primary schools and a high school.

These schools comprise of Mabula District School, Natokalau Primary School, Tabutoga Village School, Cicia District School and Cicia High School.

Now several years later and happily married with three children, Mrs. Tuimabula says it has been a blessing to be posted to Cicia High School.

During her school days, Seini as she prefers to be called always dreamt of becoming a teacher.

The inspiration she says came from her teachers in Lelean.

"Yes, it has always been my dream to one day become a teacher."

"I was inspired by my teachers in Lelean particularly by one teacher, Miss Tuiloma," said Seini.

However despite being miles away from home and coupled with the many challenges that the rural setting presented, Seini says teaching in the outer islands has been a blessing in disguise.

"I never dreamt of teaching in an island but I'm blessed."

Seini is among 13 teachers at Cicia High School and takes three classes comprising of Forms 3, 4 and 5.

"For Form 3, I take Basic Science, for forms 4 I take Maths and Basic Science and Biology for form 5."

At first, Seini admitted that the challenges were difficult to counter but she soon adapted to the way of life in the village.

And although at times she needs to pay for things from her own pocket to help her students, she says it is worth every cent investing in the children.

"One thing is the isolation from the sea and especially resources, sometimes you have to foot things from your own pocket but then you're investing in the children, especially the children of this island since we are part of this island now."

"With the resources we have, we have to improvise for some of the things that are not here."

Sacrifice has paid off for Seini as she is happily married to Agriculture Science teacher Paula Tuimabula.

The couple now have three sons two of whom are twins.

"I'm happily married now with three children and I'm enjoying life," the bubbly teacher said.

"It really has been a blessing coming to the island. The students are well disciplined because there is no form of peer pressure here."

Seini said that the form of entertainment are old newspapers and DVD's which are flown in from Suva compliments of her relatives in Suva.

"Newspapers keeps us informed but we get our daily updates from the radio as it is the main medium here," said Seini.

She was also able to meet Interim Education Minister Netani Sukanaivalu during his recent tour of schools in the Lau Group.

Seini pleaded with the Education Ministry to examine the upgrading of the school's facilities and resources.

And her advice to students is "you can achieve anything."

"Believe in yourself and don't ever complain, make use of whatever is available to you and be thankful for little thing that you have."