ADAKOA Rural Training Centre in east Kwara’ae, Malaita, is on course to upgrading its facilities following a $610,000 funding assistance from the Japanese Government.
Japan Embassy in Honiara released the funding to the centre’s principal David Leliana and vice president of Solomon Islands Vocational Rural Training Centre (SIAVRTC) Gideon Row last Friday.
The funds will be used to build the centre’s classrooms and workshop.
Mr Leliana said the centre was established in 2010 but was badly damaged when cyclone Raquel hit the region in June last year.
“Thank you Japan, we now look forward to moving things on with this funding assistance,” Mr Leliana said.
Japanese ambassador Kenichi Kimiya said the funding was provided under the Grassroots & Human Security Project administered by their office in Honiara.
“One of the priority areas of our assistance is to support vocational training through construction of the school facilities such as classrooms and workshop buildings,” Mr Kimiya said.
He added that vocational training centres play a key role in the development of Solomon Islands and demands for enrolment at the centres are growing with incredible speed.
“Since Adakoa Rural Training Centre is a fulltime residential training provider and enrols young people all over the country, we believed that this project will have a positive impact on producing a large number of human resources in Malaita province, and moreover it will lead to further development and prosperity of Solomon Islands,” Mr Kimiya said.
The ambassador said Japan is pleased to contribute to the development for the people of Solomon Islands.
“I would like to emphasize that today is the beginning for you and your school to start a huge responsibility to implement this project properly under your strong leadership.
“I wish we could see the successful completion of this project together in the near future.”
Meanwhile, SIAVRTC vice president Mr Row thanked the Japanese Government for their assistance.
“You have assisted many rural centres in the country and the latest was Adakoa in East Kwara’ae that hopefully will brighten the goals of this centre,” Mr Row told Mr Kimiya.
“Your recent assistance speaks loud of your clear manifestation of the agreement signed in 2008 to assist the rural centres,” he added.
“We are so blessed by o many assistances you have given us and that shows that you are our true friend.
“A best friend is someone who steps in, in times of trouble and you have displayed this character to Adakoa, who are in trouble due to the destruction it suffered at the hands of cyclone Raquel.
“You are our true friend as we have seen for the past years.”
Mr Row added that SIAVRTC is very committed to working with the Japanese government to improve the Rural Training Centres across the country.
“These training centres give opportunities for those who were pushed out from the formal education system to come back again in the system.
“The money that you have thrown in here was the money from the tax payers in Japan so we want to thank them for that support.
“Your assistance means a lot to us in this nation.”
By LESLEY SANGA
