Vanuatu students

More ni-Vanuatu students complete APTC courses

Kandy Toa, an education support graduate, acknowledged the Australian Government for continuing to invest in skills development in Vanuatu supporting the government priority to invest in people.

“Some of us had to return to our home island in the first month of our course in 2020 but when we were given the opportunity, we came back to campus in 2021 to finalise our qualification. And today we are celebrating our fulfilled dreams.”

2,167 ni-Vanuatu women and men have graduated from APTC with an internationally recognised qualification since 2007.

Vanuatu students overseas taken aback by jab ultimatum

In a statement on Wednesday, the Vanuatu National Scholarship and Training Board issued new directives for students.

It included a warning that anyone refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 could have their award terminated.

The Daily Post reports the president of the Vanuatu Student Association in Fiji, Glen Bule, saying they were shocked by the directive which gives them no choice but to comply.

The board chairman, Collin Natonga, said the directive is in line with the government's ongoing effort to keep COVID-19 out of Vanuatu.

Vanuatu students in Fiji isolated after showing COVID-19 symptoms

Second Secretary and Education Attache at the Vanuatu High Commission in Suva, Johnson Vora confirmed that the students have been in isolation at their residence in the Nasese are since last Thursday.

“They are well and our contact with them this morning they are both doing well.  We understand that officials are checking on them and we are confident that they will complete their 14 days isolation and will continue with studies,” Vora said.

Jane Kanas makes facemasks for Ni-Vanuatu students in Fiji

The Student Learning Specialist at USP started her initiative early this month and has received a lot of interest.

“I started on Friday 23rd April. 4. I have lost count of how many masks I have made, so I have stopped counting because the demand is high, and students will wait outside as I finish off the quantity they require.”

“Each mask is $2, the masks cost more than that but that's part of my contribution towards their safety. Students cannot afford daily disposable masks, so these ones are well suited,” said Kanas.

Vanuatu High Commission confirms allowances have been paid to sponsored students

Johnson Vora of the High Commission of the Republic of Vanuatu in Fiji confirmed the payments were made during the week.

“We confirm that the Government has paid out allowances this week. Allowances are credited directly to each student’s personal bank accounts,” Vora said.

He was responding to questions from Loop Vanuatu following concerns by some Ni-Vanuatu students studying at USP about the delay in payment of allowances.

Vanuatu students utilise online study

Others are studying in different institutions in Port Vila, such as the Vanuatu Institute of Public Administration and Management unit.

The Chairman of the Scholarship Board, Collin Natonga, confirmed that 37 government-sponsored students were not able to travel to New Caledonia due to the Covid-19 issues there.

He said the board made all possible arrangements to make sure that these students were occupied while waiting for the situation in New Caledonia to normalise.

     

Students sent home after Tuesday earthquakes

The Deputy Principal, Valeriane Sam, said although a tsunami warning was not issued but school management has decided to send home its students for their safety during lunch time yesterday.

The National Disaster Management Office said there was an earthquake of 5.8 around midday. It was one of a series of aftershocks from a tremor which struck on Monday.

Suango is situated at Vanuatu's biggest village, Mele which had over 5,000 inhabitants.

Ni-Vanuatu students find own way home from Samoa

The group chartered a Talofa Airlines flight and are expected to land at Bauerfield International Airport tomorrow.

The six students met the expenses of the charter and will pay for the cost of quarantining as well.

Vanuatu's Director of Public Health, Len Tarivonda, said although Samoa was a Covid-free country, the group would remain in quarantine for 14 days.

The students decided to charter their own aircraft following a delay in a second phase of repatriation.

Vanuatu students evacuated from Wuhan arrive home safely

The students were welcomed by Caretaker Minister, Ralph Regenvanu and other officials in Port Vila.

The students were evacuated from Wuhan, China and they completed their 14 day quarantine period in Darwin, Australia.

The Vanuatu Government expressed gratitude to the Australian Government for evacuating the students evacuated from Wuhan.

 

Photo Foreign Affairs Ministry Facebook 

     

Australia's Indigenous approach supporting education in Vanuatu

The second phase of the Vanuatu Education Support Program, or VESP, funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, aims to strengthen education systems through a focus on community engagement, communications, social inclusion, and localization.

To reach new communities in this second phase, VESP is partnering with Australian Indigenous development experts i2i Development Global, which has historic connections with the local population, and Coffey International.

“It’s been an exhilarating time full of learning,” Tony Martens, director of i2i, told Devex.