School Exams time - Good Luck

Final exams are now upon our senior students at Tereora College and me as Leader of the Opposition and the Democratic Party wish all of them the best of “Cook Islands” luck. I extend that on behalf of all the Opposition Members in Parliament, Committee members, staff at the Opposition Office and supporters of the party that I lead, which will become the next government in the 2015 elections.
I know that this is a particularly stressful time for all students because of all those years and hours spent in classrooms learning, examinations are the event that could well shape their futures. For some, it’s their coming of age, going through their “rite of passage” from being unsure teenagers to mature adult Cook Islanders and hopefully armed with skills to navigate through the rough and tumble of a sometimes unkind world.
Most of my columns and writings have been directed against the Government of the day where I and my colleagues in the Opposition caucus along with mutual friends criticize the Prime Minister and his Ministers for poor decision-making. Well, I hope people find it refreshing that I depart from that road and we all take a breather and talk about something positive. In this instance, it’s about youth, education and the future. I also hope that people realize that it is my job to keep a check on the Government and make it honest and accountable to the people, taxpayers of this country of ours.
One Papa said to me at one time and he was a member of the Tereora School Board that if the Government stopped the unnecessary travel of Ministers, the money saved will go far to upgrade Tereora College and some of our senior schools around the island. Such money will also assist students with up to date resources and pay for good teachers. I agree with this Papa wholeheartedly. You see as I write and as you read, three Cabinet Ministers including the Prime Minister are overseas in far, far away countries that barely have a whiff of the Cook Islands. Their intention is to promote the Cook Islands and hopefully get more money but in most cases, it’s just a junket.
Just imagine if we have the same type of classroom facilities and resources as a mid-range or top school in New Zealand. Also just think if we are to provide best teaching methods and teachers. I believe that will really lift the performances of our school students and increase the pass rates.
I want to congratulate the Tereora College Dux for 2012, James Cargill and he exemplifies hard work, commitment and discipline. But most importantly he is a role model for young people with strong faith in God. It is therefore about believing and knowing that one’s faith is very important in personal growth and indeed professional growth.
A number of young people also need to be congratulated for being awarded honours at Tereora College, Nukutere College and other schools around the Cook Islands. Some excelled academically such as Maruia Willie of Tupapa, some excelled in sports, leadership and other fields.
Our young people need to be appreciated. We hear so much of the negative side of youth when a handful appear in Court for burglaries etc but we don’t hear much about the positive things about our young people. Let us begin now by fostering our children through school, caring and supporting them at teenage level to give them a good platform in life.
It is my promise that the Democratic Party will do that. I myself can verify it because I and my family, my children saw value in education and pursued it to university level. I dream of that for our Cook Islands students.

Herald Issue 608 21 March
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