Tonga celebrates education during Coronation Week
More than 3500 school children from around Tonga have gathered to celebrate the Tongan King's coronation in an Education Day which is part of more than a week of celebrations which began last Saturday.
Transcript
More than 3500 school children from around Tonga have gathered to celebrate the Tongan King's coronation.
An Education Day was part of more than a week of celebrations which began last Saturday.
Indira Moala reports from the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa.
Children from more than 100 schools marched in red and white as they created the formation of the country's National flag at the main sports ground in Nuku'alofa, Teu Faiva Stadium.
They chanted "Long live the King" as they saluted in honour of King Tupou VI.
Tonga High School's Head Prefect, Alice 'Akauola, says she was star struck when she saw King Tupou VI.
"I got to sit like, right there and the King was right in front of me. So awesome. It was an awesome feeling, the King was right there."
Tertiary students also joined forces to put on presentations for the King, including construction work, a military combat demonstration and a cooking class.
Other schools displayed their students' work around the Stadium.
Alice Tonga from Queen Salote College presented her biology project which scored top marks in the country.
"This project, we did an investigation on ecological niches of animals. We mainly focused on animals in Tonga. We presented our project and gave it to the King in a file. He's reading our project in the meantime."
A regional director of the University of the South Pacific, Seula Johannson Fua, says the day's event was a testimony to how much education is valued in Tonga.
"Just look around today at all the schools that are here. Children from Primary school to Tertiary Education. It's a testimony to how important education is to Tonga. And the fact that His Majesty is here and he graciously visited all the stalls with a keen interest to see what's going on in each of these schools, is an indication that education is in fact another religion for us."
A national combined schools' brass band performed a tribute to the King.
The King's formal crowning takes place on Saturday at the Pangai Lahi field and the Royal Palace compound.
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